Nanocomposite deposit by a safe by design method and its characterization

Work package:
Nanocomposites are used in a lot of fields of application1. Indeed, these materials are developing multiple and custom-made properties directly related to the structure and the properties (size, distribution)) of the nanoparticles and of the matrix. Aerosol-assisted processes are widely developed to deposit nanocomposites in thin films. To limit the nanoparticles risks for humans and for the environment2,3, a Reactor-Injector of nanoparticles (RI) has been developed. Using organometallic precursors, it consists in the synthesis of nanoparticles in-situ from liquid phases prior to their injection in the downstream process4,5. The internship will be focused on ZnO nanoparticles using a RI, i.e. the characterization and the optimization of their structure and properties. Especially, the intern will study the RI parameters to control the nanoparticles structure and quantity. During this internship, the student will work in a chemical environment (manipulation in inert gas atmosphere in glovebox, vacuum ramp …), and will use different method to analyse the chemical synthesis of nanoparticles and their characteristics (NMR 1H spectroscopy, absorbance and fluorimetry spectroscopy, transmission electronic microscopy …). This project is an interdisciplinary collaboration between laboratories LCC, Laplace, IMRCP in Toulouse and Université de Montréal in Québec. The applicant needs knowledge about nanoscience, nanotechnology, chemistry, and material science.