IMDEA Materials Institute is looking for post-doctoral researchers willing to apply for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) in call 2022. IMDEA Materials Institute has a long track record of hosting MSCA fellows and has obtained excellent success rates in recent calls of MSCA PF.

The proposed research would focus on the degradation of metallic (Mg) fibers in metal/polymer composites for orthopaedic applications using modeling approaches. Magnesium/polymer composites are promising candidates for biodegradable implants. The strength of Mg fibers allows the mechanical properties of the composite to match those of load-bearing bones, while the polymeric matrix slows down the corrosion of Mg in physiological environments. In this context, the degradation mechanisms at the fiber/matrix interface play a critical role on the strength and toughness of composites. One objective of this project would be to develop a computational model for the degradation of the Mg fibers under different configurations (e.g. coatings), to identify the key underlying mechanisms, and to guide the design of optimal Mg/polymer composites for bioresorbable implants. This project will benefit from close collaborations with several ongoing projects at IMDEA Materials, which will provide experimental data, including measurements of degradation rates and mechanical properties after immersion in simulated body fluid (see, e.g. [W. Ali et al., J. Mech. Behavior Biomedical Materials 123 (2021) 104781]). Interested candidates (if successful) will work under the joint supervision of Prof. Javier Llorca, head of the Bio/Chemo/Mechanics of Materials group at IMDEA Materials and Professor at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), and Dr. Damien Tourret, Researcher and head of the Modeling and Simulation of Materials Processing group at IMDEA Materials.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:

Interested candidates, please send your resume and a brief outline of the proposed research project (2 pages maximum) via email to Prof. Javier Llorca (Javier.llorca@imdea.org) or Dr. Damien Tourret (damien.tourret@imdea.org) before July 15th 2022.

DESCRIPTION OF THE MSCA POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS:

The purpose of the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA PF) is to enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD, wishing to acquire new skills through advanced training and international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility. This is achieved by implementing a research project at a host institution. The fellowship typically covers the researcher's salary for two years, research costs and overheads for the host institution.

The mobility rule of MSCA PF requires that the researcher (candidate) has not resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host organization (Spain, in the case of IMDEA Materials Institute) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline (expected to be September 14th 2022 for call 2022). Moreover, only candidates with research experience up to 8 years postdoc from the date the PhD degree was granted are eligible (with possible exceptions).

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MSCA POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS CALL 2022 AND ELIGIBILITY:

Check the call website.