PhD in Dynamic Covalent Hydrogels & Polymer Networks

Emerging Scholars Council; Zürich; Vor Ort; CHF 50.000 - 60.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

ETH Zurich's Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory invites applications for a full-time doctoral candidate starting on or after 01 October 2026. The project focuses on dynamic covalent hydrogels and the design-to-property framework to connect molecular features with macroscopic mechanics. The successful candidate will work in an interdisciplinary team, perform ITC, NMR, UV-Vis analyses, and contribute to computational modeling, with supervision by Prof.

Dr. Mark Tibbitt.

Qualifikationen

• MSc degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, materials science, physics, polymer science or related field.
• Experience with rheological characterization of soft materials and molecular binding analysis (ITC, NMR, UV-Vis).
• Fluent English (oral and written) required.

Aufgaben

• Synthesize and characterize a broad library of model dynamic covalent hydrogels (boronate ester, hydrazone, imine, disulfide) and network architectures.
• Quantify binding constants, thermodynamics, and reaction kinetics of reversible cross-links using ITC, NMR, and UV-Vis; relate to rheological properties.
• Develop theoretical and computational frameworks to capture entropy-driven network-scale effects and refine rubber elasticity models.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team and contribute to teaching and lab supervision.

Kenntnisse

Rheological characterization

Calorimetry

NMR spectroscopy

UV-Vis spectroscopy

Polymer networks

Computational modeling

Organic synthesis

Ausbildung

MSc degree in chemical/ mechanical engineering, chemistry, materials science, physics, polymer science

Tools

ITC

NMR

UV-Vis

Jobbeschreibung

ETH Zurich's Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory invites applications for a full-time doctoral candidate starting on or after 01 October 2026. The project focuses on dynamic covalent hydrogels and the design-to-property framework to connect molecular features with macroscopic mechanics. The successful candidate will work in an interdisciplinary team, perform ITC, NMR, UV-Vis analyses, and contribute to computational modeling, with supervision by Prof.

Dr. Mark Tibbitt.