Transportation jobs in France

Organisation/Company Université Gustave Eiffel Department IFSA Research Field Chemistry » Applied chemistry Engineering » Mechanical engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country France Application Deadline 12 Sep 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Paris) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Dec 2025 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

This project focuses on the development of high-performance, recyclable foams and composites based on bio-based polybenzoxazine (PBZ) resins [1-3]. These materials are designed to deliver advanced acoustic absorption, thermal insulation, flame resistance, and mechanical robustness while being derived from renewable feedstocks and compatible with sustainable end-of-life strategies. Target applications include sound and heat management in buildings, transportation, and industrial systems, especially in the context of creating safer, quieter, and more energy-efficient urban environments [4-6].

PBZ resins are high-performance thermosetting polymers known for their excellent thermal stability, flame retardancy, chemical resistance, and mechanical strength. Unlike conventional resins, PBZs can be synthesized via formaldehyde-free routes using renewable phenolic feedstocks such as cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL). This bio-based chemistry reduces reliance on fossil resources and toxic additives, supporting the transition toward more sustainable materials in construction and infrastructure.

The core of the project is the development of lightweight PBZ foams through chemical and physical foaming techniques. These foams will be tailored for multifunctional performance in sound and thermal control. In densely populated areas and enclosed built environments, managing acoustic comfort and thermal efficiency is increasingly important. The PBZ foams developed in this project aim to address these challenges by offering a renewable, non-toxic alternative to conventional insulation and damping materials.

A major focus is on acoustic performance, particularly absorption in the 500–2000 Hz range—critical for reducing noise in homes, vehicles, public transport, and machinery enclosures. Excessive noise is a growing concern in urban environments, with negative impacts on health and well-being. By tuning cell morphology (e.g., pore size, open-cell content, foam density), the foams will be engineered to effectively absorb mid-frequency sound and reduce noise pollution.

At the same time, these materials offer strong thermal insulation properties suitable for environments with fluctuating or elevated temperatures, contributing to improved energy efficiency in buildings and vehicles. Their inherent thermal stability helps maintain performance where traditional foams degrade. Flame retardancy will be assessed through standardized methods such as UL-94, limiting oxygen index (LOI), and cone calorimetry to ensure high char yield, low smoke emission, and enhanced fire safety—an essential requirement for safer construction materials in urban settings.

Mechanical testing will include compression resistance, dimensional stability, and long-term aging performance to ensure reliable use under stress and over time. These properties are critical for insulation and acoustic materials installed in walls, ceilings, transport systems, or industrial panels.

A key innovation in this project is its emphasis on recyclability and circular material use. Although thermosets like PBZ are traditionally not melt-processable, emerging approaches using dynamic covalent chemistry enable reprocessing and even depolymerization. The project will explore:
• Reprocessable PBZ networks based on reversible crosslinking mechanisms
• Low-temperature chemical recycling routes for recovering monomers or useful fragments at end-of-life
These developments support resource efficiency and reduced material waste, aligning with the principles of circular design for the built environment.

By integrating renewable raw materials, scalable low-emission processing, functional performance, and end-of-life recyclability, this project contributes to the creation of resilient and sustainable material systems. The foams developed here can help enable quieter, more energy-efficient, and safer urban environments—supporting the broader societal goal of building inclusive, sustainable, and resilient cities with reduced environmental impact.

In summary, the project delivers recyclable, lightweight, and high-performance PBZ-based foams optimized for acoustic and thermal control. It responds directly to the growing need for multifunctional, low-impact materials that improve urban living conditions while reducing environmental burdens across the material life cycle.

The ideal candidate should have a strong taste for laboratory and experimental work combined with theoretical background in material physics and polymer chemistry. Having a candidate also strongly motivated to develop skills in multi-scale modelling would be an asset (mechanical engineering, physics).

The project is part of the PIONEER program which induces a collaboration between complementary skills in different European countries. In the present case, a tentative schedule is as follows: 12 months at AVANS to synthetize the bio-based foams. 12 months at University Gustave Eiffel to work on the characterization and determine the optimized morphological configurations from multi-scale modeling strategies. Then, the validation of the proof of concept will be performed at AVANS during the next 6 months by synthetizing the morphological configurations previously identified as the more promising from the modeling work. The last 6 months will be dedicated to writing publications and the manuscript of the PhD thesis at University Gustave Eiffel.

References
[1] S. Zhang, J. Zong, Q. Ran and Y. Gu, Facile Preparation of Lightweight and Robust Polybenzoxazine Foams, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 59, 7575-7583 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.0c00313.
[2] J. Chen, X. Lu, Z. Xin, A bio-based reprocessable and degradable polybenzoxazine with acetal structures, Reactive and Functional Polymers 191, 105653 (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2023.105653.
[3] K. Mohamed Mydeen, K. Balaji Krishnasamy, H. Arumugam, K. Saravana Mani, A. Muthukaruppan, Sustainable Strategies for Fully Biobased Polybenzoxazine Composites from Trifunctional Thymol and Biocarbons: Advancements in High-Dielectric and Antibacterial Corrosion Implementations, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 12, 2225 (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c06314
[4] F. Chevillotte and C. Perrot, Effect of the three-dimensional microstructure on the sound absorption coefficient of foams: A parametric study, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 142(2), 1130–1140 (2017). DOI: 10.1121/1.4999058.
[5] F. Chevillotte, C. Perrot, E. Guillon, A direct link between microstructure and acoustical macro-behavior of real double porosity foams, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 134(6), 4681–4690 (2013). DOI.org/10.1121/1.4824842.
[6] C. T. Nguyen, V. Langlois, J. Guilleminot, F. Detrez, A. Duval, M. Bornert, P. Aimedieu, C. Perrot “Polydisperse solid foams: Multiscale modeling and simulations of elasto-acoustic properties includ-ing thin membrane effects,” International Journal of Solids and Structures 249, 111684-14 (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2022.111684.

E-mail camille.perrot@univ-eiffel.fr

Research Field Chemistry » Applied chemistry Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field Engineering » Mechanical engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

The ideal candidate should have a strong taste for laboratory and experimental work combined with theoretical background in material physics and polymer chemistry. Having a candidate also strongly motivated to develop skills in multi-scale modelling would be an asset (mechanical engineering, physics).

Specific Requirements

The project is part of the PIONEER program which induces a collaboration between complementary skills in different European countries. In the present case, a tentative schedule is as follows: 12 months at AVANS to synthetize the bio-based foams. 12 months at University Gustave Eiffel to work on the characterization and determine the optimized morphological configurations from multi-scale modeling strategies. Then, the validation of the proof of concept will be performed at AVANS during the next 6 months by synthetizing the morphological configurations previously identified as the more promising from the modeling work. The last 6 months will be dedicated to writing publications and the manuscript of the PhD thesis at University Gustave Eiffel.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

High-quality doctoral training rewarded by a PhD degree, delivered by Université Gustave Eiffel
The project will be co-supervised by Dr. ir. J.M.N. Han van Kasteren (professor) and Dr Qian Zhou (assistant professor) at AVANS University of Applied Sciences (NL), and Cong Truc Nguyen (assistant ptofessor) at Université Gustave Eiffel (FR)
Appointment for a period of 36 months
Job contract under the French labour legislation in force, respecting health and safety, and social security: 35 hours per week contract, 25 days of annual leave per year.
The European label ‘European Doctorate’ may also be awarded at the end of the doctoral thesis under certain conditions.

Eligibility criteria

At the time of recruitment, applicants must be in possession of their Master’s degree or equivalent/postgraduate degree which would formally entitle to embark on a doctorate.

Selection process

The thesis will take place under the PIONEER+ project, a European Universities Alliance, coordinated by université Gustave Eiffel. Under the PIONEER project, université Gustave Eiffel secured a national funding for three PhD thesis linked to the SDG 11.
Candidates pre-selected by the thesis supervisor will be invited to an interview in English before a panel composed of members of the PIONEER alliance between September 22nd and october 15th 2025.

Additional comments

The project is part of the PIONEER program which induces a collaboration between complementary skills in different European countries. In the present case, a tentative schedule is as follows: 12 months at AVANS to synthetize the bio-based foams. 12 months at University Gustave Eiffel to work on the characterization and determine the optimized morphological configurations from multi-scale modeling strategies. Then, the validation of the proof of concept will be performed at AVANS during the next 6 months by synthetizing the morphological configurations previously identified as the more promising from the modeling work. The last 6 months will be dedicated to writing publications and the manuscript of the PhD thesis at University Gustave Eiffel.