Organisation/Company: CNRS
Department: Institut de chimie séparative de Marcoule
Research Field: Chemistry, Physics, Technology
Researcher Profile: Recognised Researcher (R2)
Country: France
Application Deadline: 16 Dec 2024 - 00:00 (UTC)
Type of Contract: Temporary
Job Status: Full-time
Hours Per Week: 35
Offer Starting Date: 13 Jan 2025
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
The 'Evolving Interfaces in Materials' group of the Marcoule Institute for Separation Chemistry (ICSM/LIME) is recruiting a researcher to develop an activity related to the study of the incorporation and speciation of heavy lanthanide (Gd-Lu) ions in the structure of various uranium compounds. This work is part of the Horizon Europe MALAR project (Novel 2D-3D Materials for Lanthanides Recovery from Nuclear Waste), which aims to recover some of the lanthanide elements produced by the nuclear fuel cycle.
The candidate will be expected to carry out an important experimental activity, and to have good interpersonal skills enabling him/her to interact with the various players involved in the project. The candidate will develop an experimental approach aimed firstly at studying the incorporation limits of heavy lanthanide ions (typically from Gd to Lu) in the structure of various uranium oxides such as UO2, U3O8, UO3, (UO2)O2.4H2O, etc. The synthesis of these phases will be carried out using co-precipitation methods designed to ensure a high degree of cationic homogeneity. The solids obtained will be extensively characterized using complementary techniques to describe structure and speciation at different scales (XRD, Raman and XAS spectroscopy, …). The behavior of the powders at high temperature will then be examined during a sintering step. A final area of work will involve dissolving the prepared samples, both to complete our understanding of the parameters of influence, and to produce solutions that can be used by the other partners to test the partitioning chemistry processes developed as part of the project.
The candidate will also be expected to carry out bibliographical work and disseminate/value his/her results by writing scientific reports and articles, as well as taking part in project meetings and conferences. Participation in the laboratory's collective tasks is also expected.
Lanthanide elements are used in many of today's everyday technological applications. Nevertheless, their absence from European soil makes them strategic elements whose supply must be secured in a circular economy approach based on new resources, such as those from urban mining. This is also the case for spent nuclear fuel, which contains numerous fission products, including lanthanides. In this context, the European MALAR project aims to propose new methods for separating lanthanides downstream of nuclear fuel reprocessing processes, using functionalized graphene oxides in particular. These approaches also require detailed knowledge of lanthanide speciation within the various uranium oxide phases encountered in the fuel cycle, as well as their behavior during the dissolution stage prior to separation.
The activities carried out under this contract will focus on these last two research areas, and will take place at ICSM/LIME (mixed research unit Univ Montpellier/CEA/CNRS/ENSCM: https://www.icsm.fr ). Strong interactions are expected with the German HZDR/ROBL team overseeing the project, as well as with other partners in Sweden (Universities of Umea and Uppsala) and Romania (University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest).
Required Skills
Inorganic synthesis: wet co-precipitation methods, hydrothermal synthesis
Study of the chemical durability of solid phases: elemental analysis in solution, characterization of the solid/liquid interface.
Solid characterization techniques: X-ray powder diffraction and Rietveld refinement, vibrational spectroscopies (FTIR and Raman), scanning and transmission electron microscopies, X-ray absorption spectroscopy.
Experience of working with radioelements
Other skills: proficiency in computerized data collection and processing tools. Mastery of presentation techniques (oral and written) and meeting facilitation. Level 2 oral and written comprehension of English.
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