PhD – Investigating energy storage performances of graphitic biomass-derived biocarbon (biochar) and multiscale characterization – Temporary contract 36 months

POST ENVIRONMENT

School of the ministry in charge of industry, IMT Mines Albi is a school of the Institut Mines-Télécom, 1st group of engineering and management schools of France. At the forefront of industrial and academic issues on the international scene, it acts as a territorial scientific and economic engine by combining its 4 missions - to train engineers by integrating the dynamics of sustainable development, scientific research, contributing to economic development and spreading the culture of science, technology and innovation - in a virtuous and innovative cycle.

Its positioning in terms of training and research places IMT Mines Albi as a reference school on three of the four themes of the IMT, namely responsible future industry, energy, circular economy and society and engineering, health and well-being.

IMT Mines Albi has adopted in 2023 and for a five-year period, a strategic plan divided into 7 major actions, thus responding to the strategic orientations of the IMT group to which it belongs.

The position is based within the RAPSODEE Center (Research of Albi in Process Engineering of Divided Solids, Energy and Environment), a CNRS joint research unit dedicated to processes, materials, and sustainable. energies.

The PhD thesis will be supervised by Prof. Ange Nzihou.

MAIN MISSIONS AND ACTIVITIES

This work is part of an ERC (European Research Council) Advanced Grant project. The ERC is a European funding organisation that supports groundbreaking research projects through very competitive grants, as part of the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.

The ERC project aims at evaluating the storage capacity of innovative biocarbon composites, a sustainable family of advanced biomass-based carbon materials to store energy in various environments, as opposed to most of the current solutions relying on fossil fuel-based or non-sustainable materials. This should translate into remarkable CO2 emissions reduction and energy savings. The work will be carried out in an international environment with regular visits to partners' laboratories in France and the USA.

Current studies are focused on the selection of biomass feedstocks, their characterisation, and on pyrolysis and graphitization to produce biocarbon composites. As part of this ERC work and in parallel with other ongoing studies in our research group, this PhD work will be dedicated to the understanding and the implementation of energy storage in various conditions (technology, temperature, atmosphere…). The composite’s optimal geometric dimensions and shape, the storage cycle, the energy balance, the mechanical resistance, the corrosion kinetics, and thermodynamics will be investigated.

The PhD work will focus on biocarbon multi-scale (micro, nano, and atomic) chemical, mechanical, and structural transformations during the storage cycle. It is expected to probe the changes in biocarbon nanostructure, aromaticity, crystalline graphitic domains, and investigate how this evolution is impacted by the storage cycle. Raman spectroscopy (RAMAN), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), among other complementary techniques, will be used to this end. The study should investigate the relation between carbon structure, thermomechanical stability, and conductivity of the biocarbon and the impact of these properties on storage performances.

Environmental indicators, namely energy consumption and CO2 emissions, will be determined and compared to those of reference and commercial materials

TRAINING AND SKILLS

Knowledge, skills and experience

• Knowledge of heat and mass transfer
• Experience in solid characterization (XRD, XPS, TGA-DSC, SEM, TEM, Raman, etc.)
• Basic knowledge of carbon materials and thermal processes
• Interest in energy and environmental issues

Abilities and aptitudes

• Scientific rigor, analytical and synthesis skills
• Autonomy and initiative
• Good written and oral communication skills in English

DESIRED PROFILE:

Master’s degree (or equivalent) in chemical engineering, materials engineering, materials science or physical chemistry.

BEYOND THE PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT, WHY JOIN US?

• Pleasant working environment on a 22-hectare campus
• 49 days of leave
• On-site staff catering
• Support for sustainable commuting between home and work
• Social benefits (supplementary social protection and family assistance)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

·       Nature and duration of the contract: Fixed-term contract (CDD) – 36 months

·       For internal use:

Position category and reference job: T – PhD candidate

Reference job(s) for applicants: All categories

·       Job location: Albi. Energy storage experiments (concentrated solar energy and other waste heat sources) will be conducted in Albi, at the PROMES-CNRS laboratory (Odeillo, France), as well as in our partner laboratory in the United States.

·       Application deadline: May 29, 2026

·       The positions offered are open to everyone, with accommodations available upon request for applicants with disabilities.

·       Required documents: CV, cover letter, and 1 or 2 letters of recommendation

Contacts:

·       Regarding the position content: Auriane AGARD (auriane.agard@mines-albi.fr)

·       Regarding administrative/HR matters: Laura OLIVIER (laura.olivier@mines-albi.fr)