Evaluating Hybrid Porous Organic Silica Adsorbents for Natural Gas Storage

Natural gas is one of the most important energy vectors. Of the fossil fuels, it has a high calorific value and natural gas combustion leads to notably lower sulphur oxide emissions than combustion of oil and coal. Furthermore, methane plays a key role in the energy transient, as an alternative energy carrier for hydrogen or via the production of biogas.

Methane storage is unfortunately a major challenge. Natural gas is stored under compressed form between 200-300 bar or in liquefied form at -165 °C. Alternatively, natural gas could be stored inside porous adsorbents, which would allow milder storage conditions and reduced risks. This is especially important for applications in the transportation sector.

In the context of the ANR project ANGSTROEM, the MADIREL and ICR laboratories are looking for a PhD candidate who would evaluate adsorbent materials for methane storage. In MADIREL laboratory the objective is to explore the adsorption properties of an exciting new class of porous materials: hybrid covalent organic polymers (COPs) based on polyhedral oligomeric silesquioxane (POSS) building blocks, which will be prepared by the project partner at ICR.

The objectives are to:
(i) investigate methane adsorption mechanisms via the measurement of the quantities of gas adsorbed and the energies which are in play
(ii) study the cyclic adsorption / regeneration stability of the developed materials
(iii) study the effect of impurities on the amount of natural gas adsorbed

The project is a collaboration between partners expert in material synthesis (ICR) and molecular simulation groups (LiPhy / SIMap).

The MADIREL laboratory is a a joint research laboratory between the CNRS and Aix-Marseille University. This PhD thesis will be part of the 1st research axis of the lab, focussing on gas adsorption applications. The candidate will be trained in the characterisation of microporous materials (N2 at 77K, Hg intrusion, ...) in which the lab is recognised internationally. The candidate will be involved in the usage of unique experimental equipment (adsorption coupled to microcalorimetry) and in the development of novel experimental equipment.

The candidate should hold a Master of Science in Chemistry, Physics or Chemical Engineering.