PhD Material Science / Polymer Physics

The Professorship for Particle and Fiber technology is looking for a PhD funded by our ERC Grant

PhD Material Science / Polymer Physics

19.10.2026, Academic staff

Our research focuses on extracting and isolating bio-based polymers such as cellulose and proteins from renewable feedstocks and waste streams. We aim to develop sustainable processes to convert these materials into high-performance fibers and functional materials. By manipulating molecular interactions through chemical and physical methods, we tailor the structural and mechanical properties of bio-based materials to advance the potential of biopolymers in various applications.

Project description

Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on earth and offers significant potential for applications such as sustainable packaging materials and textiles. However, its use in mass production is limited by its inability to melt like conventional thermoplastics. This limitation arises from the strong intermolecular bonding within cellulose: upon heating between 240 °C and 350 °C, cellulose begins to decompose rather than transitioning into a meltable phase.

LaserCell funded by ERC StG envisions an innovative approach to reshape and rearrange cellulose at the molecular level by disrupting cohesive interactions through resonant excitation of specific bonds. It will revolutionize the field of biopolymer processing beyond cellulose and yield fundamental insights into supramolecular structure and dynamics in biomaterials.

Your profile

We are looking for a candidate with the following qualifications:

• A Master’s degree in materials science, polymer physics, polymer engineering, materials engineering, or a closely related field.
• A solid understanding of polymer physics, particularly polymer structure, crystallinity, molecular interactions, and chain dynamics.
• Hands-on experience in experimental materials research, with the ability to design experiments, analyze results critically, and troubleshoot independently.
• Experience in mechanical testing, rheology, spectroscopy (e.g., FTIR, Raman), or structural characterization (e.g., XRD, SAXS/WAXS) is considered an advantage.