The Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) programme Energy & Process Technology offers you a 2-year position combining post MSc education and a design project to be carried out in close cooperation with SunCoal Industries GmbH.  

The educational programme, carried out at the University of Twente, will have an in-depth and broadening character with ample attention for professional development and will be partly tailored to the design project. In collaboration with SunCoal Industries GmbH you will work on high level, creative new designs for complex issues.

The project – DESIGN OF SUSTAINABLE TIRES: A BIO-BASED FILLER SYSTEM FOR REINFORCEMENT OF ELASTOMERS

The focus of the project is the design of a sustainable elastomeric material, more specific a ‘green’ composite material: elastomers with a reinforcing filler made from biomass. This ‘green’ filler will replace conventional fillers such as carbon black and silica in tires as well as technical rubber goods.

Processing of these ‘green’ fillers as well as the final properties of the composite pose a problem: the untreated bio-filler is difficult to disperse in the elastomeric matrix, and the reinforcing strength is low compared to conventional fillers. To overcome this, the filler has to be modified for better compatibility with the elastomers. Tailoring the interface between filler and elastomer and its characterization is the first part of the design project. In the second part, the modified filler will be blended with elastomers in order to design a material which can be used in several types of elastomeric products. Crucial steps in this part are processing as well as compounding: both have to be adjusted for the ‘green’ filler material.  

The project comprises the following steps:

-    State-of-the-art overview of modification processes for this kind of materials, and the desired properties for application in tires

-    Chemical and physical modification of the filler   

-    Study of the filler-coupling agent and filler-elastomer interaction

-    Analysis of the filler-elastomer interaction and interface

-    Processing study to well disperse the fillers in an elastomeric matrix

-    Compounding study for the fillers for use in different elastomeric products

-    Analysis of the elastomer-filler composites in terms of mechanical and dynamic properties

-    Preparing a design guide for elastomers reinforced with these bio-fillers  

The main part of the work will be done in the laboratories of ETE, in close cooperation with the company SunCoal Industries GmbH, the producer of the bio-fillers.

We are searching for a PDEng candidate with a strong interest and established experience in elastomers. Further requirements are:  

• MSc degree in Chemical Engineering or Material Science
• Background in filler technology
• Experience with experimental laboratory work
• Analytical skills in surface and interface characterization and elastomer properties 
• Critical and creative approach to the research, as well as sharp analytical skills

• Pro-active and result-oriented team worker in an industrial as well academic environment

• Capability to solve problems independently, but also being able to work within interdisciplinary teams
• Good communication and interpersonal skills      
• Being able to work in an international and diverse tea 

  Candidates with a non-Dutch qualification and who have not had secondary and tertiary education in English can only be admitted with an IELTS-test showing a total band score of at least 6.5, internet TOEFL test (TOEFL-iBT) showing a score of at least 90, or a Cambridge CAE-C (CPE).
  
  Application

   

  Please send the following documents before 15-12-2017 through the link below:

   

  • Letter of motivation

  • Curriculum vitae

  • List with grades of courses attended

  • References and, if applicable, a list of publications. 

   

  Contact information

   

  If you have any further questions about the PDEng program in Energy and Process Technology, please contact Gerrit Brem: g.brem@utwente.nl
  For specific information about this assignment, contact Ms. Wilma Dierkes: w.k.dierkes@utwente.nl
  General information about PDEng programs can be found on www.utwente.nl/go/pdeng-ept. 

   

   

   

   

We offer you a very challenging position for two years in an inspiring multidisciplinary and international environment. In the time we will provide you with a tailor made post-master design programme that has an educational component (~50%) as well as a design project (~50%). You will be supervised by a team of experts from both SunCoal Industries GmbH and the University of Twente. The educational component will be chosen to closely match the project as possible. With respect to planning, preferably and where possible, courses and project start and progress in parallel.

The salary will be € 1828 gross per month.

On successfully completing the programme, you will receive a certified degree. You will be entitled to use the academic degree PDEng and will be registered as a Technological Designer in the Dutch register kept by the Royal Institution of Engineers in the Netherlands (KIVI).  

The University of Twente. We stand for life sciences and technology. High tech and human touch. Education and research that matter. New technology which leads change, innovation and progress in society. The University of Twente is the only campus university of the Netherlands; divided over five faculties we provide more than fifty educational programmes. We have a strong focus on personal development and talented researchers are given scope for carrying out groundbreaking research.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Because of our diversity values we do particularly support women to apply.

The Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET) is one of the five faculties of the University of Twente. ET combines Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering. Our faculty has approximately 1800 bachelor and master students, 400 employees and 150 PhD candidates. The departments of the faculty cooperatively conduct the educational programmes and participate in interdisciplinary research projects, programmes and the research institutes: MIRA, CTIT, SBE and IGS.