Synthesis by 3D printing of functionnalized geopolymer membrane for the treatment of complex radioactive effluents.
In the field of the treatment of liquid radioactive wastes on solid supports, the development of new composite materials synthetized by 3D printing under filtre shape is of primary of importance to decontaminate some radioactive effluents.
In this phD proposal, we propose to develop a membrane allowing to produce, from effluent containing somes traces of micronic solids in suspension and ionic species, a clarified effluent compatible with a nuclear outlet pipe. The challenge is to study the shaping of a material in a form of a filtration membrane allowing to trap in a single step an effluent containing some solids in suspension and some ionic species. In order to develop both functionnalities, 3D printing will be used to synthetise multiscale porous ceramic composites such as some geopolymers functionnalized by a selective adsorbants. The candidate, mainly based at CEA/ISEC Marcoule, could first formulate a functionnalized geopolymer paste with suitable rheological properties compatible with the constraints of the 3D printing process. A cross-flow filtration membrane with a controled macroporous network will be then printed by optimizing the geometry of the mesh. Finally, some sorption and cross-flow filtration tests will be performed on some model effluents containing calibrated solid in suspension and ions of interest such as Cs and Sr. The relevance of the printed membrane architecture will be assessed in relation to the capture of the solids and radioelements.
The candidate must have skills in the field of rheology, process and modeling. From this research work, job opportunities either in the field og 3D printing of materials or in the field of liquid waste treatment and depolution are potential options.
Development of large area substrates for power electronics
Improving the performance of power electronics components is a major challenge for reducing our energy consumption. Diamond appears as the ultimate candidate for power electronics. However, the small dimensions and the price of the substrates are obstacles to the use of this material. The main objective of the work is to overcome these two difficulties by slicing the samples into thin layers by SmartCut™ and by tiling these thin layers to obtain substrates compatible with microelectronics.
For this, various experiments will be carried out in a clean room. Firstly, the SmartCut™ process must be made more reliable. Characterizations such as optical microscopy, AFM, SEM, Raman, XPS, electrical, etc. will be carried out in order to better understand the mechanisms involved in this process.
The candidate might be required to work on other wide-gap materials studied in the laboratory such as GaN and SiC, which will allow him to have a broader view of substrates for power electronics.
Description of the evolution of grain size and dislocation density during ODS steels consolidation
Steels reinforced with a dispersion of nanometric oxides (generally referred to as ODS steels) are currently considered especially as potential material for combustible cladding for 4th generation reactors. Up to now, these materials are conventionally produced by powder metallurgy. The evolution of the microstructure during processing is not well described, yet. Recent work in the laboratory has focused on the evolution of nano-precipitation during processing. The objective of the post-doctoral work is therefore to refine the description of this evolution, more precisely with regard to the grain size and the density of dislocations. This subject combines an experimental approach, through analyses in electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, and a numerical approach, aiming to define an optimized method for the treatment of the evolution of dislocations.
Stability of the oxide/metal interface of a coated 6061-T6 aluminium alloy
The aluminium alloy, named 6061-T6, is used as core component for the Jules Horowitz French experimental reactor (RJH). In order to improve the corrosion resistance, and to prevent the alloy from wear degradation, a coating is deposited at the surface of the alloy. The coating layer that is 50 µm thin is obtained by oxidation of the aluminium alloy.
The RJH core component will be subjected to neutron irradiation that may modify the microstructure of both the 6061-T6 alloy and the coating layer. Concerning the 6061-T6 alloy, the irradiation damages are well known: neutron irradiation induces the formation of dislocation loops, and causes the dissolution of the nano-precipitates. However, the effect of irradiation on both the coating layer and the interface metal/oxide remains unknown. One of the deleterious effect that may occur in reason of irradiation could be the peeling of the oxide coating and consequently the loss of the corrosion properties. Thus, the understanding of the irradiation response of the coating layer remain a key issue to guarantee a safe use of the coated aluminium alloy. Therefore, the aim of the study is to characterize the irradiation damage of ion irradiated coated aluminium alloys.
Time-resolved in-situ study, by X-ray diffraction under synchrotron radiation, of structural evolutions in a high temperature oxidized zirconium alloys
In certain hypothetical accident situations in pressurized-water nuclear reactors (PWRs), the zirconium alloy cladding of fuel pallets, which constitutes the first barrier for the containment of radioactive products, can be exposed for a few minutes to water vapor. at high temperature (up to 1200 ° C), before being cooled and then quenched with water. The cladding material then undergoes numerous structural and metallurgical evolutions. In order to study these structural evolutions in a precise way, a first experiment campaign was carried out on the BM02 line of the ESRF on a prototype furnace allowing to perfectly control the atmosphere and the temperature. Two tasks will be entrusted to the candidate: continue and finish the analysis of the first experiment(phase fraction determination, residual constraints ...) and prepare a new complementary experimental proposal by mid 2020.
Nanofabrication of spintronic spiking neurons
In the frame of the French national ANR project SpinSpike, Spintec laboratory is opening a postdoctoral researcher position. The candidate will work in collaboration with UMPhy CNRS-Thales and Thales TRT. The objective is the realization of proof-of-concept magnetic tunnel junction based artificial spiking neurons able to generate spikes and propagate them between coupled artificial neurons.
The candidate should have a strong background in nanofabrication and should be familiar with common techniques of optical and e-beam lithography as well as different etching techniques. The candidate can also be involved in the electrical characterization of the devices.
The position is expected to start on April 1, 2021 and go on for up to 2 years jointly between the RF team and MRAM teams of Spintec. The contract will be managed by CEA and funded by ANR Agency.
We offer an international and competitive environment, state-of-the-art equipment, and the possibility to perform research at the highest level. We promote teamwork in a diverse and inclusive environment and welcome all kinds of applicants. Further information about Spintec laboratory www.spintec.fr .
Compressed Sensing Electron Tomography: Quantitative Multi-dimensional Characterization of Nanomaterials
Electron tomography (ET) is a well-established technique for the 3D morphological characterization at the nanoscale. ET applied to spectroscopic modes for 3D structural and chemical analysis has become a hot topic but necessitates long exposure times and high beam currents. In this project, we will explore advanced compressed sensing (CS) approaches in order to improve the resolution of spectroscopic ET and reduce significantly the dose. More precisely, we will focus on the following two tasks: 1. Comparison of total variation minimization, orthogonal or undecimated wavelets, 3D curvelets or ridgelets and shearlets for nano-objects with different structures/textures; 2. Comparison of PCA and novel CS-inspired methods such as sparse PCA for dimensionality reduction and spectral un-mixing. The code will be written in Python, using Hyperspy (hyperspy.org) and PySAP (https://github.com/CEA-COSMIC/pysap) libraries.
The project follows a multidisciplinary approach that involves the strong expertise of the coordinator in ET and the input of two collaborators with complementary skills: Philippe Ciuciu with expertise in MRI (DRF/Joliot/NEUROSPIN/Parietal) and Jean-Luc Starck with expertise in cosmology, signal processing and applied maths (DRF/IRFU/DAP/CosmoStat). The three communities share a strong interest in compressed sensing algorithms.
Data science for heterogeneous materials
In order to predict the functional properties of heterogeneous materials through numerical simulation, reliable data on the spatial arrangement and properties of the constitutive phases is needed. A variety of experimental tools is commonly used at the laboratory to characterize spatially the physical and chemical properties of materials, generating "hyperspectral" datasets. A path to progress towards an improved undestanding of phenomena is the combination of the various imaging techniques using the methods of data science. The objectives of this post-doc is to enrich material knowledge by developping tools to discover correlations in the datasets (for exemple between chemical composition and mechanical behavior), and to increase reliability and confidence in this data by combining techniques and physical constraints. These tools will be applied to datasets of interest regarding cementitious materials and corrosion product layers from archaeological artifacts.
Nano-silicon/graphene composites for high energy density lithium-ion batteries
This postdoctoral fellowship is part of the Graphene Flagship Core 2 H2020 european project (2018-2020) on the energy storage applications of graphene. In lithium-ion batteries, graphene associated to nanostructured silicon in a proper composite helps increase the energy capacity. Indeed graphene wraps silicon, reducing its reactivity with electrolyte and the formation of the SEI passivation layer. It also maintains a high electrical conductivity within the electrode.
The study will compare two technologies: graphene-silicon nanoparticles and graphene-silicon nanowires. The former composite, already explored in the above mentioned project, will be optimized in the present study. The latter is a new kind of composite, using a large scale silicon nanowire synthesis process recently patented in the lab. The postdoc will work within two laboratories: a technological research lab (LITEN) with expertise in batteries for transportation, and a fundamental research lab (INAC) with expertise in nanomaterial synthesis.
The postdoc will synthesize silicon nanowires for his/her composites at INAC. Following LITEN know-how, she/he will be in charge of composite formulation, battery fabrication and electrochemical cycling. He/she will systematically compare the electrochemical behavior of the nanoparticle and nanowire based silicon-graphene composites. Comparison will extend to the mechanism of capacity fading and SEI formation, thanks to the characterization means available at CEA Grenoble and in the European consortium: X-ray diffraction, electronic microscopy, XPS, FTIR, NMR spectroscopies. She/he will report her/his work within the international consortium (Cambride UK, Genova Italy, Graz Austria) meetings.
A 2-year post-doctoral position is open.
PhD in materials science is requested. Experience in nanocharacterization, nanochemistry and/or electrochemistry is welcome.
Applications are expected before May 31st, 2018.