Scholarship - PHD on Serenade Project
LINK to apply
In collaboration with the University of Padua and Prof. Giovanni Lucchetta, Sirmax is looking for a candidate to be included in the SERENADE research project.
This involves the development of a compostable food container able to withstand dishwashing cycles by combining a compostable PLA-based food-contact compound and an innovative annealing technology. Microwave heating will be used to promote post-molding crystallization and increase the mechanical properties of the injection-molded PLA compounds.
The goal is to develop and test food-contact additives for the PLA compounds that can act as energy absorbers and increase the efficiency of the annealing technologies without compromising the material compostability.
Secondments are planned in BSH and at University of Zaragoza (Spain).
Main activities:
- Comprehensive literature research to identify microwave energy absorbers additives for the PLA compounds;
- Optimization of compounding parameters to obtain an effective additive dispersion;
- Optimization of annealing parameters to achieve high and durable mechanical properties at high temperatures;
- Evaluation of end-of-life compostability;
- Prototyping and validation of the compostable food container.
Requirements:
- Master of Science or Master of Engineering or an equivalent degree, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or related study programs;
- Excellent knowledge of English language;
- Knowledge of Italian language (A1/A2 preferred).
Timeline:
- By October, selections will close for the PhD student who then will start working at Sirmax S.p.A. from mid-2025 to 2026 inclusive.
Duration of PhD:
- 3 years: 1.5 with UNIPD and 1.5 with Sirmax S.p.A.
LINK to apply
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