Supervisor(s): Thomas Matschei / Fabian Georget
Job title:
CONTRABASS : Call for applications for 10 open PhD positions targeting zero-CO2 cemeNt ThRough cArBonation of cAlcium Silicates and aluminateS
Company:
Supervisor(s): Thomas Matschei / Fabian Georget
Job description
Offer Description
We seek 1 PhD student (DC5) to be based in Trondheim, and additional PhD students at the partner laboratories for the EU Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral network CONTRABASS.
CONTRABASS is funded by the European Union’s HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN-01 programme. It focuses on the fundamental physico-chemical processes governing the Carbonation of the clinker phases and the cement paste, as well as the subsequent formation of Calcium Carbonate Cements (CCCs). For a full implementation of CCCs by 2050, there is an urgent need of fundamental knowledge on the carbonation process. In this scenario, the CONTRABASS DN aims to accelerate the implementation of Calcium Carbonate Cements, developing fundamental knowledge, practical know-how, and a generation of well-trained specialists to overcome the main challenges identified by our industrial and academic partners.
CONTRABASS has 5 main objectives:
1. To identify the carbonation mechanisms of the clinker components, specially calcium aluminates
2. To understand the carbonation processes of the C-S-H gel and the cement paste
3. To unravel the factors that govern CaCO3 polymorphism, nucleation and growth rates
4. To build databases for thermodynamic and reactive-transport modelling of carbonation
5. To communicate effectively the benefits of CCCs to society, media and policy makers
In total 10 PhD positions are available within the network. Detailed information for the individual projects is listed below. For more information see
Individual Project details:
DC project 1 : Carbonation of calcium silicates and synergy with aluminates
Objectives: To understand the thermodynamic and kinetic limit of the C3A carbonation. Two main levers will be studied: (1) The impact of the pore solution and speciation (2) The impact of the surface and its interaction with the silicate and carbonate species.
Institution: RTWH
Supervisor(s): Thomas Matschei / Fabian Georget
Application deadline: 31/12-2023
DC project 2 : Carbonation of magnesium silicates and synergy with calcium silicates
Objectives: (1) To understand and optimize the role of magnesium in cement paste carbonation reactions. (2) To understand how to downregulate unstable phase formation, such as some hydrated magnesium carbonate phases.
Institution: OULU
Supervisor(s): Paivo Kinnunen / Hoang Nguyen
Application deadline: 30/11-2023
DC project 3 : Atomistic modelling of C-S-H carbonation and CaCO3 speciation
Objectives: (1) To calculate the free-energy profile of the Ca and silicate leaching reactions. (2) To study solution speciation with molecular MD and mesoscale MC. (3) To simulate C-S-H dissolution and decalcification using input from (1-2) and kinetic Monte Carlo.
Institution: CNRS-Division Centre-Est
Supervisor(s): Christophe Labbez
Application deadline: 31/12-2023
DC project 4 : Fundamental mechanisms of C(-A)-S-H carbonation
Objectives: (1) To understand the fundamental mechanisms of C(-A)-S-H carbonation under saturated conditions. (2) To study a selection of hydrated cement paste suspensions proposed by DCUK2 using the carbonation reactor
Institution: NTNU
Supervisor(s): Malene T. Pedersen / Klaartje de Weerdt / Mette R. Geiker
Application deadline: 31/10-2023
DC project 5 : Ab-initio phase diagram of CaCO3 polymorphs
Objectives: (1) To determine the most likely location and the energy of insertion of key elements present in cement-based systems with DFT and AIMD calculations as a function of temperature. (2) To derive a coherent Gibbs energy dataset to be used in phase diagram calculations of water-carbonate systems as well as for the kinetic modelling of carbonation.
Institution: CNRS-Division Alpes
Supervisor(s): Alexander Pisch
Application deadline: 31/12-2023
DC project 6 : Nucleation and growth rates of CaCO3 in cement pores and surfaces
Objectives: To characterize the nucleation and growth pathways of calcium and magnesium carbonates under the physico-chemical conditions of cement recycling and clinker carbonation (high pH, high ionic strength, presence of ions) in both (1) homogeneous and (2) heterogeneous nucleation studies.
Institution: UGA
Supervisor(s): Alejandro Fernandez-Martinez
Application deadline: 30/11-2023
DC project 7 : Atomistic modelling of CaCO3 (pre)nucleation and growth
Objectives: (1) To determine the most stable/probable precursor nanoclusters in cement’s pore solution using evolutionary algorithms (EA). (2) To calculate the aggregation free energies of the clusters by MD and metadynamics. (3) To build a coarse grained model based on the aggregation free energies and the CaCO3 cluster morphologies, to determine the nucleation mechanism and nucleation rates.
Institution: UPV/EHU
Supervisor(s): Hegoi Manzano
Application deadline: 30/12-2023
DC project 8 : The social life of calcium carbonate cements
Objectives: (1) To understand the dominant discourses on concrete in EU, identifying the dominant technological regimes and emerging innovation niches based on the technology transfer model. (2) to understand the socio-cultural determinants of existing and future technological solutions
Institution: AGH
Supervisor(s): Jacek Gądecki / Łukasz Afeltowicz
Application deadline: 31/12-2023
DC project UK1 : Atomistic modelling of Calcium Silicates and Aluminates carbonation
Objectives: (1) Understand the reaction pathways for the carbonation process of clinker minerals from AIMD. (2) Calculate the surface binding free energy for water molecules and carbonate ions on clinker minerals (3) Estimate CO32- and water diffusion activation energies by classical MD. (4) to interpret in the context of field-cycling and conventional NMR.
Institution: USurrey
Supervisor(s): David Faux / Anh Phan
Application deadline: 31/12-2023
DC project UK2 : Recycling waste concrete fines through carbonation
Objectives: (1) To optimise a novel process that combines acid treatment of the waste cement paste, solid-liquid separation, and carbonation of the Ca-rich leachate to sequester flue gas CO2 (2) Optimise the formation of a reactive aluminosilicate gel is a potential feedstock to produce zeolite for applications.
Institution: ICL
Supervisor(s): Hong Wong / Chris Cheeseman
Application deadline: 31/10-2023
Requirements
Research Field Chemistry Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
Research Field Physics Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
Research Field Engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
Specific Requirements
Mobility eligibility requirement: The fellow must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date
Other requirements:
- Applicants must speak and write fluently in English
- Must not have a doctoral degree at the date of their recruitment
- Applicants must be eligibile to work in the European Union.
- Other eligibility criteria may apply depending on the recruiting beneficiary.
Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent
Additional Information
Benefits
CONTRABASS provides support for each recruited DC in the form of:
- A living allowance (86K€ to 168K€ depending on the hosting country)
- A mobility allowance (21.6K€)
- If applicable, family, long-term leave and special needs allowances (18K€)
In addition, funding is provided to the host institution to cover the research, training and networking activities during the PhD.
Website for additional job details
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute UNIVERSIDAD DEL PAIS VASCO/ EUSKAL HERRIKO UNIBERTSITATEA Country Spain City LEIOA Postal Code 48940 Street BARRIO SARRIENA Geofield
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute UNIVERSITY OF SURREY Country United Kingdom City GUILDFORD Postal Code GU2 7XH Street Stag Hill Geofield
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHEN Country Germany City AACHEN Postal Code 52062 Street TEMPLERGRABEN 55 Geofield
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute OULUN YLIOPISTO Country Finland City Oulu Postal Code 90014 Street PENTTI KAITERAN KATU 1 Geofield
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS – Division Centre-Est Country France City DIjon Postal Code 21000 Street 9 avenue Alain Savary Geofield
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute NORGES TEKNISK-NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET NTNU Country Norway City Trondheim Postal Code 7491 Street HOGSKOLERINGEN 1 Geofield
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE Country United Kingdom City London Postal Code SW7 2AZ Street SOUTH KENSINGTON CAMPUS EXHIBITION ROAD Geofield
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute UNIVERSITE GRENOBLE ALPES Country France City Grenoble Postal Code 38058 Street 621 AVENUE CENTRALE Geofield
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute AKADEMIA GORNICZO-HUTNICZA IM. STANISLAWA STASZICA W KRAKOWIE Country Poland City Krakow Postal Code 30-059 Street AL ADAMA MICKIEWICZA 30 Geofield
Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS – Division Alpes Country France City Saint-Martin d’Hères Postal Code 38402 Street 1130, rue de la piscine, Dom. Univ. BP75 Geofield
Where to apply Website
Contact Website
STATUS: EXPIRED
Expected salary
Location
Leioa, Vizcaya
Job date
Wed, 31 Jan 2024 02:00:15 GMT
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