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In a world of ongoing, sometimes relentless change, innovation has become the foundation for business success. At Dow Corning, innovation is shared with customers, helping them reinvent their business, and keeping them ahead of the competition. One key player in Dow Corning’s innovation capability is the Surface and Interface Solutions Center.
The Dow Corning Surface and Interface Solutions Center (SISC) is a unique, world-class, global resource dedicated to working collaboratively with customers to design innovative composites or molecules, processes, surface interface and interphase technologies in multiple markets, including plastics and rubber. SISC combines technical and application expertise, innovation and market knowledge to discover new opportunities that will meet customers’ new and emerging needs in line with the business strategy. Staffed by highly experienced scientists and engineers linked to Dow Corning’s global network of technology experts and to external sources of expertise, the SISC will enable customers to establish a competitive advantage by identifying next-generation solutions and providing the best technical and business approaches to customers’ challenges. The solution may help customers achieve improved performance or productivity, or it could be the result of developing a tailor-made approach based on the interface between silicon-containing products and other materials.
The Laboratory Léon Brillouin is running a neutron experimental reactor among the first two medium flux reactors in Europe. The Small Aangle-Soft Matter group is recognized in work on polymer and colloids in 3d and 2d complex systems. It allies Small Angle Neutron, X Ray and light Scattering to Calorimetry, Electronic Microscopy, Rheology and Mechanical caracterisation, to relate well defined structure of the system and properties. Recently three PhDs have been defended on the theme of polymer-particles nanocomposites, together with an increasing number of publications.
Post-Doctoral Researcher
The Project
The 2 years, i.e., 1+1 renewable upon Marie-Curie grant conditions, research post-doc will support the long-term growth of the Rubber applied R&D project portfolio set in collaboration with Dow Corning marketing team. The purpose of the research project is deeper understanding of how silane structure at silica/polymer interface impacts the viscoelastic and mechanical properties of a silica/polymer composite. The final aim of the project is then fine tuning of silane composition and structure to improve rubber properties in green tire technology. The project is supporting major market trends of the tire industry, such as, e.g.
- Improving rolling resistance of tire tread compounds and thus car fuel consumption reduction for lower CO2 release
- Improving wet braking distance to improve safety
- Improving or maintaining wear property for long lasting tires
- Ideally the new silane structure will reduce the gas emitted during compounding and lifetime of the tire to improve the CO2 balance of green tire
The project can be described as follow, i.e.
- Defining a model system using a polymeric matrix with a silica filler to simplify physical parameters impacting all viscoelastic and mechanical properties
- Defining a method to treat silica and build up different types of network between polymer and silica: monolayer to 3D network including silane synthesis
- Measuring viscoelastic properties of such rubber compounds
- Validation of the model compound in a simplified tire formulation
- Designing of new silane structure for the application
The research project objectives shall include, e.g.,
- Synthesis of model rubber/silica compounds
- Synthesis of new silane molecules
- Silica treatment during polymerization or silica pre-treatment to create monolayer or 3D structures at interface
- Characterization of silane structure at interface, if possible for specific rubber compounds needs
- Characterization of filler (silica) dispersion and spatial distribution.
- Viscoelastic (Payne effect) & mechanical (tensile properties) properties measurements
- Physical understanding of interface impact on polymer mobility and relation with viscoelastic properties
- Model compound model application to more realistic system for physical properties enhancement
- Compounding of simplified tire tread compounds
- Ensuring proper technology transfer to application experts in Dow Corning.
The Profile
The ideal candidate:
- has a PhD or Post-Doc degree in Materials Sciences, PhysicoChemistry, Soft Matter, Complex Systems or Chemistry with possibly hands-on experience in tire rubber technology
- has technical knowledge in polymer modification, surface treatment of silica
- has a good understanding of the chemistry related to rubber additives and applications, and material structure/properties relationship in general.
- has a good understanding of physical behavior of polymer and viscoelastic models
- is experienced or interested in rheological and mechanical measurements,
- is experienced or interested in Small Angle Neutron Scattering and/or X ray Scattering
- has possibly some experience in silane/silicone
- has a passion for innovation with an entrepreneurial mindset
- is able to think out of the box and to challenge existing paradigms
- is self-driven, self-starter and self-motivated in developing novel technical solutions
- is a good communicator with good presentations skills
- can work in a team and in a multi-cultural environment
- is fluent in English (writing, oral)
The location will be both in Dow Corning Europe SA (Seneffe) in Belgium and Laboratoire Leon Brillouin (CEA – Saclay) in France. If you are interested please submit your resume to,
Either Dr. Thomas Chaussée
Surface & Interface Solutions Center
Dow Corning Europe SA
Rue Jules Bordet - Parc Industriel C
B-7180 Seneffe (Belgium)
Phone: +32 (0)64 888 464
Or Dr. François Boué
Laboratoire Leon Brillouin
CEA-Saclay
91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, FRANCE
Phone : +33 (0)1 69 08 62 10/72 96
We would appreciate it if you would please mention ChemSeer when applying for this job
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