A three-year PhD position in inorganic molecular chemistry associated to the nuclear field is
available in the CSMN group (UCCS laboratory) at the University of Lille in France.
It will start preferably in October 2016.
The nuclear industry is constantly looking for new processes, cleaner and more
efficient to answer the increasing energetic demands of our societies. This
production is generating a lot of wastes containing numerous chemical elements
called fission products. Currently, in France, the process used to retreat
these wastes and get back the useful elements possess several drawbacks and
thus need improvements. In this context, the Ph.D project proposed here is
related to use of polyanionic compounds (mainly heteropolyoxotungstates) to
selectively bind and stabilize clusters constructed by polycondensation of
radioactive cations present in these nuclear wastes.
The Ph.D. project will be focused on:
- Synthesize the polyanionic precursors and study their complexations properties towards surrogates (cerium, neodymium) or radioactive (uranium, thorium) cations.
- Characterize the different systems by solid state and solutions techniques (XRD, 183W NMR, electronic spectroscopies, ICP …).
- Assess the extraction properties of these polyanionic moieties towards the actinide elements.
- Apply these informations to more complex mixtures containing the mixed valence 4f/5f cations.
Available facilities at the UCCS: Several diffractometers for powder and single crystal
X-Ray diffraction, infrared and electronic spectroscopies, solution and solid
state NMR spectroscopy with frequencies going from 300 to 900 MHz (proton
Larmor frequency), ICP spectrometry.
We seek application from national and international students who are graduated in
chemistry, with a background in inorganic chemistry. Experience in inorganic coordination
chemistry and in crystallography will be appreciated as well. The successful
applicant will be given the opportunity to work in an exciting environment with
national and international collaborations.
Applications and informal queries about the lab and research projects should be directed by
email to Sylvain Duval (sylvain.duval@univ-lille1.fr). Applications should
include a cover letter, a CV and contact information for two references.
Dr. Sylvain Duval
UCCS, team CSMN, University of Lille
F-59652, Villeneuve d'Ascq, Cedex, France
Email: sylvain.duval@univ-lille1.fr