UTFacultiesTNWMSTNews2 PhD position vacancies on ‘Polyelectrolyte Complexation for the Next Generation of Sustainable Membranes’

2 PhD position vacancies on ‘Polyelectrolyte Complexation for the Next Generation of Sustainable Membranes’

Within the ERC starting grant project of Dr. W.M. De Vos (https://www.utwente.nl/en/news/!/2016/9/197279/erc-starting-grant-for-wiebe-de-vos) there are 2 PhD position vacancies:

Two PhD projects are available regarding the production and characterization of new and sustainable membranes. Membranes play a critical role in the production of safe drinking water and in the treatment of human waste streams. However, membranes themselves are nearly always produced using costly, harmful and environmentally unfriendly aprotic solvents such as N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP). These projects will investigate a highly novel approach allowing the production of the next generation of advanced membranes without the need to use any organic solvents. Here, the complexation of positively and negatively charged polyelectrolytes will be the basis for a new method for the fabrication of membranes, requiring only water as a solvent. The charged nature of these starting materials will make these membranes especially promising as the next generation of Nanofiltration (NF), Electrodialysis (ED), and Solvent Resistant Nanofiltration (SNRF) membranes. Finally, blending the polyelectrolytes with active ingredients can provide the membrane with advanced properties (anti-fouling, ion-specific, catalytic etc.).

For more information, and to apply to these positions, please visit:

https://www.utwente.nl/organisatie/werken-bij-de-ut/vacatures/!/vacature/802973

Questions regarding these positions can be directed to Dr. Wiebe M. de Vos: w.m.devos@utwente.nl, phone: +31 53 489 4495.