Postdoc in Polymer Technology

KTH is one of Europe's leading technical universities and an important arena for knowledge development. As Sweden's largest university for technical research and education, we bring together students, researchers, and faculty from all over the world. Our research and education encompass natural sciences as well as all branches of engineering, as well as architecture, industrial economics, urban planning, history, and philosophy.

Duties

A postdoc is sought for the project Hydrogen energy with solar activation of cellulose, which is conducted within the framework of ERA-NET Bioenergy, where lignocellulose is to be extracted through biorefining from biomass, analyzed, and then used as a raw material in a photocatalytic process that we are developing as part of a smart and flexible energy system.

KTH is the coordinator for the project and collaborates with SMEs in Germany and Poland.

The goal is to be able to utilize the large amount of biomass that is not utilized in existing processes (e.g., recycled material or residues from food production) and convert this into a valuable raw material, as well as to design and build a prototype for hydrogen generation using expertise from partner SMEs. KTH is responsible for the extraction and treatment of the raw material as well as cellulose chemistry, the synthesis and tailoring of nanocatalysts, and the manufacturing of the lab prototype and "proof of principle".

The use of non-edible, renewable material raw materials and robust methods to convert them into substances that can replace oil-based products constitute urgent parts of the global endeavor towards a more sustainable future society.

The work includes:

• Creating new lignocellulose and cellulose fractions from different biomasses as well as from recycled material.
• Developing processes to activate the cellulose raw materials chemically or through high-kinetic processing, thereby making the raw materials better suited for the production of hydrogen via photocatalysis.
• Characterizing the cellulose materials and discovering which structure-property relationships govern the materials' potential to react effectively in the photocatalytic process.

The research results will be presented at international conferences and in scientific journals.

Qualifications

The applicant must have completed doctoral studies in one of the areas of polymer technology, organic chemistry, materials science, or equivalent.

The applicant must be strongly motivated for academic work, be proactive, and have the ability to drive their own work as well as collaborate well in a group. The applicant must have excellent knowledge of English, both written and spoken.

It is meritorious if the applicant has previously worked with organic chemistry, polysaccharides, and analysis of polymers.

Union representatives

You can find contact details for union representatives on KTH's website.

Application

You apply via KTH's recruitment system. As an applicant, you are primarily responsible for ensuring that your application is complete when submitted.

The application must reach KTH no later than the last application date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

The application shall include:

• CV containing education and relevant work experience from academia and industry.
• Official transcripts and a copy of degree certificates.
• Personal letter (max 2 pages) with a short description of the applicant's interest in scientific studies and the specific research field.

Other information

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