Controlled Carbonate formation in Cement (C3)

Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU); España; Vor Ort; EUR 16.000 - 20.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) invites applications for a First Stage Researcher (R1) PhD position in the project C³ on controlled carbonate formation in cement.

The candidate will contribute to atomistic simulations to understand how minor ions affect CaCO3 formation and cement properties. A bachelor’s degree in Physics, Chemistry or Materials Science/Engineering is required, with a master’s degree expected for those with <300 ECTS.

Qualifikationen

• Degree in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science/Engineering or related disciplines.
• Applicants with <300 ECTS must hold a master’s degree in Materials Science or a related field.

Kenntnisse

Atomistic simulation

Ausbildung

Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Chemistry or Materials Science/Engineering

Jobbeschreibung

Organisation/Company Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) Department Vice-Rectorate for Research Research Field Physics » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 5 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid) Country Spain Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Project C³ (Controlled Formation of Carbonates in Cement) tackles the decarbonization of cement, which accounts for ~8% of global CO2 emissions. Since a large share of these emissions is intrinsic to the clinkerization process, capturing and utilizing CO2 through carbonation curing emerges as a key route toward net-zero. In these carbonated cements, CO2 reacts at early stages with clinker phases and hydroxides, forming CaCO3 (calcite, vaterite, or aragonite) and aluminosilicate gels; the polymorphism, size, and morphology of the carbonate determine the microstructure, mechanical strength, and the amount of CO2 sequestered. However, under the complex alkaline and multi-ionic conditions of cement pores, the nucleation mechanisms and the influence of foreign ions (Mg, Fe, Al, Si species, etc.) are not well understood, and current thermodynamic databases do not include non-classical species such as prenucleation clusters (PNCs), amorphous calcium carbonates (ACCs), or non-stoichiometric ones.

The central hypothesis of C³ is that, if one can understand and manipulate at the atomic scale how minor ions affect the kinetics and polymorphism of CaCO3 formation, it will be possible to simultaneously optimize CO2 uptake and the mechanical performance of these calcium-carbonate cements (CCCs). Therefore, the overall objective is to generate fundamental knowledge on carbonate formation in CCCs (temperature, pH, and impurities) through atomistic simulation techniques.

Degree in Physics, Chemistry, Materials’ Science/Engineering and related disciplines.

Applicants holding a bachelor’s degree comprising fewer than 300 ECTS credits will also be required to hold a master’s degree in Materials Science or a related discipline.

Additional Information

Additional comments

Please read sections 4 and 7 of the call.