ACE – Advancing Crystal Engineering through Ionic Liquids

Applicants are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Biological and Chemical Engineering programme. The position is available from 1 January 2025 or later. You can submit your application via the link under 'how to apply'.

Title:
ACE – Advancing Crystal Engineering through Ionic Liquids

Research area and project description:
As part of a Novo Nordisk Fonden RECRUIT grant [1], a large research environment in advanced crystal engineering is establishing with the aim to explore task-specific ionic liquids (room temperature molten salts) for deliberately designed crystallization (assembly-by-design) of organic solids such as medical drugs, food additives, and agrochemicals.

With the challenges of a growing and aging society, the need to improve access to medical drugs, agrochemicals, and food additives is more pressing. Many of these materials occur in different solid assemblies (forms/polymorphs), and each form has different properties. A prominent example is chocolate, or rather cocoa butter. [2,3] To date six different forms are known, of which only one (not the most stable form) gives the best chocolate taste and sensation. Sophisticated crystallization schemes (tempering) must be applied. The current project aims to revolutionize crystallization by using task-specific ionic liquids as crystallization media to allow for simple and robust access to thermodynamically unstable solid forms. Through careful engineering and supramolecular interactions, it may be even possible to get new forms!

The goal of this PhD project is to investigate ionic liquids as crystallization media for a wide set of materials. Tasks will include: 1) developing crystallization techniques and strategies, 2) monitoring and analysing the crystallization process and the solid by means of X-ray and neutron diffraction, and electron crystallography, and 3) ultimately identifying those parameters that are key to the formation of a specific solid assembly. The project will take advantage of the latest possibilities offered by large-scale facilities for neutron and synchrotron X-ray scattering as well as new and custom-made equipment at Bio- and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University.

The PhD candidate will manage a wide range of state-of-the-art synthesis and characterization techniques with emphasis on structure analysis with diffraction methods and become an expert in materials structure and properties.

For more background please visit: mudring.org
References:

1. nat.au.dk/en/about-the-faculty/news/show/artikel/the-endless-possibilities-of-impossible-salt
2. compoundchem.com/2014/04/19/the-polymorphs-of-chocolate
3. chemistryviews.org/details/ezine/808827/Chocolate__The_Noblest_Polymorphism_II.html

Project description
For technical reasons, you must upload a project description. Please simply copy the project description above and upload it as a PDF in the application.

Qualifications and specific competences:
Applicants to the PhD position should have a relevant Master’s degree, or be in the process of gaining a Master degree, in chemistry, materials science, physics, chemical engineering, or related fields.

The candidate should have strong interest in hands-on experiments, materials synthesis, and data analysis. Some background or experience with (neutron or x-rays) scattering techniques would be appreciated. Experiences of working with amorphous materials, liquids, and thermodynamic properties are a bonus. She/he should have a high degree of motivation and can work independently.

Good communication skills and teamwork spirit are required. The candidate should be able to speak and write English fluently.

Place of employment and place of work:
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Åbogade 40, 8200 Aarhus N.

Contacts:
Applicants seeking further information are invited to contact:

• Anja-Verena Mudring, [email protected] (main supervisor)

How to apply:
Please follow this link to submit your application.
Application deadline is 1 August 2024 at 23:59 CEST.
Preferred starting date is 1 January 2025.

For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide.
Please note:

• Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be taken into account.
• The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
• Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.