IMDEA Materials Institute is a public research organization founded in 2007 by Madrid’s regional government to carry out research of excellence in Material Science and Engineering by attracting talent from all over the world to work in an international and multidisciplinary environment. IMDEA Materials has grown rapidly since its foundation and currently includes more than 120 researchers from 22 nationalities and has become one of the leading research centers in materials in Europe which has received the María de Maeztu seal of excellence from the Spanish government. The research activities have been focused on the areas of materials for transport, energy, and health care and the Institute has state-of-the-art facilities for processing, characterization and simulation of advanced materials.

More information can be found at our webpage.

The Multifunctional Nanocomposite Group has developed a method for the continuous synthesis of nanowires of high aspect ratio and direct assembly from the gas phase as flexible sheets, similar to nanotextiles, which can be subsequently densified to form finished anodes for Li-ion batteries.

We offer an R&D position to accelerate the scale-up of this manufacturing process to TRL 8, as part of a collaborative project between IMDEA Materials, its spinoff Floatech, and the chemical engineering department of Universidad de Zaragoza. The aim is to increase reaction selectivity and throughput to provide a step change from the current laboratory-scale system. One of the central tasks of the researcher will be to assist in the design and construction of a pilot plant reaction unit with new concepts for catalyst generation, heat transfer, gas management and nanotextile collection. This design will be guided through advanced computational simulations of the floating catalyst CVD reaction performed by U. Zaragoza. The researcher will be responsible for implementing chemical engineering methods to monitor and analyse the reaction, which together with the simulation will provide methods for scale up through increased reaction efficiency and concentration.

The candidate will be at the centre of the collaborative project, and directly interact with researchers and experts from the three institutions involved. He/she will have full access to our state-of-the-art floating catalyst CVD synthesis equipment and associated characterisation of gases (GCMS), aerosols (SMPS) and solids (spectrometers, microscopes, etc). The researcher will also work with other staff in the processing of Si as finished anodes and their implementation in Li-ion batteries for electromobility.

This position is part of an ERC Proof of Concept Grant.

- Demonstrated experience in academic or industrial R&D in chemical engineering applied to thermocatalytic processes

- Familiarity with methods to produce and characterised nanoparticles and/or aerosol science

- Master’s/PhD in chemical engineering, applied nanotechnology or a related discipline

- Command of written and spoken English is a prerequisite.

The position includes a full-time contract with social security coverage.

The expected start date is November 2023.