Postdoctoral position \"Magnesium based thermoelectric materials\"

Organisation/Company Université de Caen Normandie Research Field Chemistry Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 3 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 4 Jan 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Mg3X2-based materials have emerged as a highly significant class of thermoelectric materials due to their combination of excellent performance, environmental friendliness, and scalability. These compounds exhibit high thermoelectric efficiency with ZT values approaching or exceeding 1.5 at intermediate temperature (up to 550K), making them competitive with traditional materials like PbTe while avoiding the use of toxic or scarce elements.
Their intrinsic low lattice thermal conductivity, combined with high Seebeck coefficients and tunable electrical properties through doping (with Te most of the time) or through metallic particles addition (Y, Nb …), contributes to their superior performance. Unlike many other high-ZT materials, Mg3Sb2-based compounds are composed of earth abundant, light weight elements and offers good thermal and oxidative stability (especially on the Sb rich side), making them well suited for waste heat recovery application.
Moreover, recent advances have enable the development of efficient p and n type variants, thus facilitating the construction of fully Mg-based thermoelectric modules with matched thermal and mechanical properties. The simple crystal structure and compatibility with scalable, low cost synthesis methods further enhance the appeal of Mg3Sb2 based materials as leading candidates for sustainable, high performance thermoelectric conversion.

In this Project, thermoelectric materials synthesis, densification and implementation within unicouples will be carried out. Synthesis methods will include reactive ball milling and traditional high temperature synthesis, densification of the powder will be performed using spark plasma sintering.
Both these steps will be the object of thorough studies as each of them have an impact on the final microstructure and nanostructure of the samples that in turn can have a remarkable influence of the final transport properties and evidently on the final thermoelectric conversion rate.
The best performing obtained materials will be used to build thermoelectric unicouples to be tested in real life conditions. Within this project, two different type of materials will be studied: doped Mg3X2 (X=Sb,Bi) and AgX2 based ductile materials.

Contract duration: 12 to 24 months depending on budget.

Requirements

Research Field Chemistry Education Level PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Strong background in solid-state chemistry and materials science

Experience in inorganic materials synthesis

Experience in structural and microstructural characterization techniques

Experience in physical property measurements and data analysis

Specific Requirements

- PhD in Materials Science, Solid-State Chemistry, Physics or a closely related field with proven hands-on experience in the synthesis and processing of inorganic or intermetallic materials.

- Good written and spoken English, with demonstrated ability to prepare scientific reports, publications and presentations.

Research Experience

Material sciences, Solid State Chemistry. The position is open to early-career researchers, including candidates who have recently completed their PhD.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Additional Information

Eligibility criteria

PhD in Materials Science, Solid-State Chemistry, Physics or a closely related field.