Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales
Job title:
015 Catalytic doped materials for hydrogen peroxide decomposition
Company:
Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales
Job description
Your application must include a recommendation letter from your Ph.D. supervisor, a detailed CV including university education and work experience, a list of publications, a 2-page description of the work undertaken during the course of your PhD.For more Information, contact : Directeur de RechercheSubmit the complete application online (Apply) before March 14th, 2025 Midnight Paris timeArmor Arsenal Company designs and markets space equipments, including propulsion systems for space tugs. The studies currently carried out within the Armor Arsenal Orbital Systems division are fully in line with the company’s technological roadmap which aims to offer orbital services such as in-flight refuelling and satellite troubleshooting.In the field of space propulsion, hydrazine and its analogues are highly valued as liquid fuels for launchers and satellites. Unfortunately, since they are toxic, their use is now restricted by the REACH directive. Replacing them with new greener fuels, without impact on human health and environment, easy to handle at low cost and if possible, with significant power gains is becoming a great challenge, not only from an environmental point of view but also as a strategy in order to maintain Europe’s leading position in this highly competitive sector. The group «Organometallic: Materials and Catalysis» (OMC Team, Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes – UMR CNRS 6226) located at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes has proposed to investigate, in collaboration with Armor Arsenal Company, new catalytic materials to efficiently decompose hydrogen peroxide into propellant gas for the targeted application. In fact, high-test peroxide (HTP) as a highly concentrated (85 to 98%) solution of hydrogen peroxide has been identified as a cheap, eco-friendly and efficient fuel in comparison of hydrazine, commonly used.This project requires particularly transversal skills (chemistry and characterization of materials, nanoparticles and nanosciences, physics of flows, simulation, experimental devices, etc.). It calls upon notions in materials chemistry and their properties in catalysis, two fundamental aspects at the heart of the problem. Indeed, the objectives of this study are to evaluate different catalytic systems composed of active metal species of different nature (nanoparticles, alloys, aggregates…) and impregnated on various supports with tunable characteristics (porosity, specific surface, surface functionalization, etc.) according to team-mastered strategies and, at the end, compatible with conditions of use (mechanic and thermic constraints).The different catalytic materials developed will first be evaluated upstream in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the laboratory before being put into a situation in the company’s chamber. Based on collaborative results, alumina and SiC pellets were chosen considering their promising results in terms of mechanical behaviour. According to preliminary investigations about the metallic precursor, this project will be focused on manganese and platinum as active species for THP decompositionAccording to our preliminary studies on the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, several bolts have been identified and will be to unlock during the project:1) Carry out a bibliographic study concerning catalytic materials (metal-support combination) that are pertinent in the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Particular attention will be focused to metals such as manganese and platinum, their deposit methods on alumina and SiC2) Develop a suitable and well-established protocol (by impregnation or other approach) for the deposition of manganese and platinum on the two media of interest (alumina and SiC):a. Development of methodologies for the deposition of precursors based on desired active species.b. Evaluation in terms of mechanical strength (robustness/durability) of materials in the presence of 35% commercial H2O2. Impact of pre-treatment with lanthane derivatives to increase the mechanic behavior and to circumvent composite materials degradation.c. Performances: kinetic tracking of decomposition, sustainability.d. Quantification of the deposited metal charge and intensification of the metallic charge3) Scale up for selected materials. Validation of methodology for 100g scale of highly charged catalytic materials. Evaluation in decomposition laboratory and on test bench for HTP (decomposition chamber)4) Catalytic material characterizations (BET, ICP, scanning microscopy and mapping by EDX, HRTEM, XPS)5) Optimisation of doped catalytic material. Investigation of new association metal-supportThis collaborative project is based on the expertise of Armor Arsenal in the field of tools and technological means for the design of space equipment and on the know-how of the OMC group of the Institut des Sciences chimiques de Rennes for the development of efficient catalytic materials and their characterization. These studies will aim to open up new opportunities for the catalysis group (OMC-ISCR team) by the design of innovative and efficient catalysts for the decomposition of HTP into propellant gases, through a more eco-friendly and economical approach.ProfilAccording to the disciplinary fields covered, the Doctor in chemistry or process chemistry will have a good culture and skills in the fields of materials chemistry and (nano)heterogeneous catalytic processes. Knowledge of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics will be greatly appreciated. He (or she) must demonstrate curiosity, be highly motivated, enthusiastic, autonomous in terms of experimental aspects and also demonstrate good communication skills (written and oral, French & English). The candidate will write scientific reports and present his/her results in regular meetings. Pillar of this collaborative study, he (she) must be able to work in a team on the different sites with staff from the laboratories and the Armor Arsenal Company
Expected salary
Location
Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine
Job date
Wed, 05 Feb 2025 06:44:32 GMT
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