Description du sujet de thèse

-The degradation of metals and alloys has become a major issue in many industrial sectors, at the heart of various societal challenges (energy transition, health, and environment). Controlling degradation and developing new protection strategies require a detailed understanding of the interfacial reactions occurring between the material and its environment. The UnILAP project (Universal Inhibitors for Lightweight Alloys Protection) fits within this framework and aims to propose new sustainable solutions to protect lightweight alloys used in many industrial sectors, particularly in aeronautics. The strategy developed is based on the use of a new class of organic compounds, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), molecules that exhibit strong reactivity with many metals, thereby enabling durable anchoring. These molecules, which can be custom-tailored, will be functionalized to (i) provide anti-corrosion properties and (ii) allow the growth of protective hybrid networks. This part will be handled by teams from the UnILAP consortium (L. Fensterbank, Collège de France and F. Ribot, LCMCP). The doctoral project is structured around three main areas: (i) mastering the grafting process, (ii) characterizing the formed layers, and (iii) evaluating anti-corrosion properties.

Step 1: implementation and optimization of chemical and/or electrochemical grafting protocols for NHCs previously synthesized by the consortium onto various metallic materials (Al, Cu, Al 2024);
Step 2: characterization of the different modified surfaces using advanced surface techniques (XPS, ToF-SIMS, AFM) combined with electrochemical measurements (EIS) to obtain physicochemical and structural information;
Step 3: evaluation of the durability of the formed layers and the anti-corrosion performance of the modified surfaces through electrochemical measurements and kinetic dissolution studies (ICP-OES), combined with advanced chemical surface characterization.

The PhD will take place in a dynamic and multidisciplinary scientific environment and will be supervised by Dimitri Mercier (IRCP) and Barbara Laïk (ICMPE). The student will benefit from personalized supervision and access to the equipment of the different institutes within the consortium.

Contexte de travail

The PhD will take place at the Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris (IRCP, Surface Physical Chemistry team, UMR 8247 CNRS-PSL Chimie ParisTech) and at the Institut de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris Est (ICMPE, Alloy and Microstructure Design team, UMR 7182, CNRS – Université Paris Est Créteil). The PhD candidate will be affiliated with Doctoral School 388

Informations complémentaires

Candidate profile:
The candidate must hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) with a specialization in materials physical chemistry, electrochemistry, or corrosion. A strong interest in research and solid knowledge in surface characterization and/or corrosion are required. Rigor, curiosity, a strong interest in experimentation, and team spirit will be essential assets to succeed in this PhD project. Applicants must send their CV, cover letter, academic transcripts, and a letter of recommendation. Only complete applications will be reviewed. Candidates will be pre-selected based on academic excellence for an interview in Paris or via videoconference.