PhD Bio- carbon-sequestered lightweight plaster sustainable buildings

Offer Description

This PhD position is part of the FWO-funded project ECOSPHERE, which aims to develop a new class of sustainable building materials by directly converting CO2 into functional carbonates that function as carbon negative, high performance fillers in coatings and plasters. The PhD will focus on improving CO2 capture efficiency through the use of a novel type of chemicals and converting CO2 to functional carbonates for their application in the development of lightweight, insulating gypsum plaster.

This position lies at the intersection of green chemistry, carbon capture and utilization, building materials, and sustainable construction technology.

• A European Master’s degree (or obtained before starting the PhD) in Engineering Technology, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Nanoscience, Sustainable Materials, or a closely related field, and ranks within the top 10% of his/her class.
• Strong interest in CO2 capture, green chemistry, mineral binders, and/or novel solvents.
• Motivation to work across disciplines and collaborate within a dynamic research team.
• Excellent communication skills in English, and willingness to present research results at national and international conferences, social media, and to write research papers for publication in international peer‑reviewed journals.
• Willingness to contribute in teaching activities and co‑supervision of undergraduate projects.
• Willingness to write a PhD fellowship proposal.
• Flexibility, good time management skills and self‑discipline, skills to work independently and in a team.
• A creative, critical, analytical and innovative mindset.
• Experience as a researcher or in industry is a plus.
• Hands‑on experience with any of the following is an advantage: SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, DSC, NMR; deep eutectic solvents; plaster materials; building material formulation and characterization.
• Authored or co‑authored peer‑reviewed publications is a plus.
• Communication skills in Dutch is a major advantage.

• Conduct research on CO2 capture efficiency and conversion to functional carbonates.
• Develop lightweight, insulating gypsum plaster incorporating CO2‑derived fillers.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary research team on green chemistry, carbon capture and sustainable construction projects.
• Present research results at conferences, in social media, and write research papers for publication in international peer‑reviewed journals.
• Contribute to teaching activities and co‑supervision of undergraduate projects.