Doctoral student in materials science – Innovative and sustainable refractory concrete (M/F)

Description

Offer Description: Located in Limoges, the IRCER research laboratory is a mixed unit (UMR 7315) under the dual supervision of the CNRS and the University of Limoges. It is attached to the Institute of Chemistry (INC) and all the work carried out aims at understanding and mastering the production processes applied to ceramics and surface treatments in order to produce objects with the desired properties. The company ELKEM ( https://www.elkem.com/ ) is a supplier of raw materials and mineral additives, among other things, for manufacturers of refractory products around the world. As this thesis is part of the European doctoral network REFFACTEUR, the 36-month period will be divided as follows: - Months 1 to 9 (9 months): the PhD student will first be based mainly at the ELKEM company located in Kristiansand, Norway; - Months 10 to 27 (18 months): the PhD student will then be based in Limoges at the IRCER laboratory (Institut de Recherche sur les Céramiques, UMR CNRS 7315); - Months 28 to 36 (9 months): the PhD student will finally be based again at ELKEM located in Kristiansand, Norway. Objectives: this thesis aims to develop a new generation of cement-free binder systems for refractory concretes by establishing links between the physico-chemical characteristics of the binder, the production process of refractory concretes, their microstructural evolution and their performance in service. The project will study three families of complementary formulations already identified as part of the European REFFRACTEUR project: binders based on micro-silica gels, mixed systems based on magnesiasilica and formulations containing magnesia combined with hydratable and/or spherical alumina. The objective is not only to replace the conventional binders used in industry (calcium aluminate cement CAC) but to understand how alternative concepts can be developed to reduce the environmental footprint of concretes while preserving, or even by improving their behavior during implementation and their reliability at high temperatures. ( https://www.reffracteur.eu/phd-positions/ see PhD 06). Results: in partnership with ELKEM, the results obtained during this thesis should allow to establish a series of concepts of cement-free binders optimized for refractory concretes as well as a much deeper scientific understanding of why these formulations work well. Rather than proposing a single empirically optimized formulation, the project should define robust formulation windows for the main families of binders under study and clarify the trade-offs between fluidity, setting behavior, raw resistance, the drying behavior, high-temperature stability, corrosion resistance and recyclability. Skills/profile sought: Master 2 or equivalent (Bac+5) in materials science, ceramic engineering, chemical engineering, inorganic chemistry or a closely related discipline. Candidates should have a strong background in inorganic materials, phase transformations and powder processing is expected, as well as a strong interest in refractory concretes, durable binder systems and microstructure engineering. Oral and written communication skills (in the English language) are mandatory. Requirements: Research Field Mathematics Education Level PhD or equivalent Research Field History Education Level PhD or equivalent Languages FRENCH Level Basic Research Field Mathematics Years of Research Experience None Research Field History » History of science Years of Research Experience None Additional Information: Website for additional job details https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/Doctorant/UMR7315-NICTES-008/Default.aspx Bando dell'ente: Recruitment is now closed . All PhD positions have been filled. 15 PhD positions on multi-scale refractory materials research, with a circular economy approach A brief discription of each PhD can be found below Click on the tabs for more detail about the research and locations for each of the open positions. Please contact the local supervisory teams for more information. For information on the application procedure, go to the recruitment procedure page . All applications must be via the forms on the recruitment procedure page . PhD 01 - Digital product passport and data integration for circular refractory raw materials and industrial applications A 36 Months PhD starting in October 2026 and supervised between ULIEGE (Belgium) and RHIM-Leoben (Austria) Objectives Expected Results Interaction with other PhDs Short stays and secondment(s) Organisation of timeline Applicant Profile Supervisors contact details Relevant publications PhD01 will define and implement a Digital Product Passport tailored to refractory raw materials, including both primary and recycled materials. The purpose is to make information such as composition, processing history, performance indicators and provenance machine-readable and interoperable with industrial plant systems and digital twin environments. The project will build a demonstrator populated with data from recycling hubs and automated sorting systems for brick and monolithic ladle linings. It will also identify data gaps and develop artificial intelligence-based strategies to estimate missing values, while keeping uncertainty transparent and auditable. The work will ensure compatibility with the semantic data platform developed in Work Package 1 and with the predictive tools developed in Work Package 3, so that environmental indicators from Life Cycle Assessment and operational key performance indicators can circulate across design, production, use and end-of-life stages. The project will deliver a refractory-specific Digital Product Passport data model covering composition, processing history, performance indicators and provenance. It will also provide interoperability rules aligned with plant systems and digital twins, a demonstrator populated with real recycling and sorting data, integration guidelines, and a roadmap for deployment and standardisation. This will provide the project with a

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Source: euraxess.ec.europa.eu