PhD (M/F) on Solar-driven CO2 reduction into energy rich C2 chemicals

Job Description

Thesis Subject

This PhD project focuses on (solar)-light driven photoreduction of CO₂ to ethylene, using Cu-based catalysts, aiming at the same time to mitigate CO2 emissions, and produce rich chemicals using exclusively solar photons. As known, the formation of C2H4 involves a complex twelve-electron transfer and multiple proton-coupled steps, resulting in low selectivity and competing reactions. So far, Cu-based materials are promising (electro- and thermo-)catalysts for CO2 reduction, however solar-driven photocatalytic reduction routes are still scarcely studied. Cu-catalysts uniquely enable both CO₂ activation and C–C coupling, but their efficiency is limited by the instability of Cu⁰/Cu⁺/Cu²⁺ active species onto the photo-active support to both prevent deactivation and ensure high product selectivity.
To achieve this, the project explores mesostructured Cu/CeO2-TiO₂ photocatalysts, enabling CO2 adsorption/activation, improved dispersion and stabilization of Cu active species, efficient charge carrier separation, and visible-light harvesting. It will contribute to developing efficient, stable, and cost-effective photocatalytic systems for solar-driven CO₂ conversion into C2H4, using only solar energy as low carbon-emission process.

Your Work Environment

This interdisciplinary project is organized into 2 WPs, implemented by ICPEES (Strasbourg) and IS2M (Mulhouse) partners whose expertise and technical competencies are highly complementary, ensuring a coherent and synergistic approach.
WP1 dealing with the elaboration, characterization and optimization of Cu/CeO2-TiO2 photocatalytic systems, will be mainly performed at IS2M (Mulhouse) and WP2 focused on the evaluation of gas-phase photocatalytic CO2 reduction in gas-phase, will be realized at ICPEES (Strasbourg). Some tasks can be carried out either over specific periods of few months in each laboratory or in more frequent alternation between Mulhouse and Strasbourg. Travel expenses between the two laboratories will be covered.

Contexte projet

This PhD will be performed within the frame of a collaboration between IS2M (Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse)/Mulhouse and ICPEES (Institut de Chimie et des Procédés pour l'Energie, l'Environnement et la Santé/Strasbourg, under the co-supervision of Dr. Bénédicte Lebeau (IS2M), expert in the synthesis and shaping of ordered mesoporous siliceous and non-siliceous oxides for applications in decontamination of liquid or gas effluents, and Dr. Valérie Keller (ICPEES), specialist in photocatalysis and solar photoconversion applications, in the field of Environment (air and surface depollution/decontamination) and Energy (Solar Fuels – Green H2 photoproduction, CO2 photoréduction, N2 fixation/photoreduction).
The PhD is co-funded by ITI HiFunMat and MatLight4.0.

Required Skills
- Skills in the synthesis and characterization of mesoporous materials (for exemple TiO2, CeO2).
- Experience in metal (for exemple Cu) nanoparticle deposition methods
- Strong knowledge in materials characterizations (XRD, Gaz physisorption, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV-Vis spectrometry)
- Additional knowledge in gas-phase heterogeneous photocatalysis would be a plus
- A first experience in analytics related to photocatalytic gas-phase reactions would also be a plus
- Fluency in French or English, willingness to learn French

Working conditions:
- Easy access to the Cronenbourg campus via public transportation
- The CNRS may cover part of the cost of public transportation passes
- Meals are available at the university dining hall on the Cronenbourg campus, with meal subsidies provided by the CNRS

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

2300 € gross monthly

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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