Projets Matériaux / Research Projects – 2026
Semester Projects – Fall 2026
Investigation of chemical devulcanization for improved tire recycling
The recycling of vulcanized rubber such as car and bike tires is a challenging sustainability issue due to the material’s complex composition and resistance against solvents and harsh conditions. This project aims to introduce a new strategy to recycle end-of-life rubber. You will learn how to chemically modify rubber and process them into new rubber-based elastomers. You will characterize the influence of modification and processing conditions on the chemical structure and resulting mechanical properties of the recycled rubber materials. If you are interested, please contact Reece Whatmore at [email protected] .
Photo-sensitive and shape-memory Double Network Granular Elastomers
End-of-life rubber represent a difficult-to-dispose-of waste. In this project you will investigate how using recycling approaches on end-of-life rubber products may give rise to innovative smart materials. In this project, you will produce Double Network Granular Elastomers (DNGEs) with photo-induced shape-memory properties.
You will learn how to characterize mechanical and thermal properties of the materials and have an insight into structure-property relationship in polymeric networks.
If you are interested, please reach out to Dr. Daniele Natali at [email protected] .
Shark centra-inspired biomineralized granular hydrogels for load-bearing applications
Shark vertebral centra consist of mineralized cartilage with unusual mechanical properties. They exhibit stiffnesses up to hundreds of MPa, undergo compressive strains up to 8% during swimming, and show a positive correlation between stiffness and toughness. Synchrotron microcomputed tomography has revealed that shark centra possess a trabecular microstructure composed of two interconnected collagen networks, one mineralized and while the other remains unmineralized. This surprising microstructure needs to be further investigated to clarify how it influences the macroscopic mechanical properties of shark centra.
This project aims at elucidating how the microstructure-mechanics relationship in shark centra could offer a new approach for designing load-bearing and fatigue resistant soft materials.
In this project you will fabricate a shark centra-inspired 3D printable granular hydrogel ink that can be mineralized post-printing via enzymatic mineralization. You will also study how the composition and structure influence the mechanical properties of your material.
If you are interested or have any questions, please contact Louisa Rinaldi at [email protected].
Master Thesis – Fall 2026
Air Moisture Curable, 3D Printable Double Network Granular Elastomers
Elastomers can be 3D printed via direct ink writing (DIW) by formulating them as microparticles that are jammed. By swelling these microparticles in a precursor solution, a second elastomer network can be formed. The resulting Double Network Granular Elastomers (DNGEs) retain their shape under deformation and display higher toughness than single network elastomers.
Previously, UV initiation was used to form the second network in DNGEs, but this approach is not suitable for opaque samples. Thermal initiation was explored as an alternative, yet heating causes microparticles to shrink and expel the precursor solution, thereby compromising shape fidelity and mechanical properties. Using ambient moisture as a trigger for crosslinking offers a promising alternative.
In this project, you will first synthesize prepolymers that crosslink upon exposure to air moisture. You will characterize their chemical structure with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies, and quantify their water content by Karl Fischer titration. You will study how parameters such as polymer type, functionality, molecular weight, catalyst, and humidity influence curing time and mechanical properties. You will then prepare elastomer microparticles via emulsion polymerization and swell them in the synthesized prepolymers. You will investigate the rheology and 3D printability of jammed reagent-loaded elastomer microparticles, and after curing, you will characterize their mechanical properties.
If you are interested or have any questions, please contact François Rivat at [email protected].
Meta-Stable Particle Synthesis for Low Energy Sintering
Fabrication of brittle, non-ductile materials with high melting points – such as ceramics – requires a powder technology-based processing route with a consolidating and densifying heat treatment at the end: the sintering step. Sintering is typically done between 0.6-0.8 times the fusion temperature (in K) for several hours. This processing step therefore involves thermally activated diffusion mechanisms that may lead to rapid microstructural changes, largely affecting the mechanical, physical and chemical properties of the final material.
As a means to lower the energy needs for sintering to occur and offer new pathways for the advanced microstructure and thus property engineering of technical ceramics and minerals, synthesis of meta-stable powders is a promising research avenue for future scientific and technological breakthroughs.
In this project, we will study the effects of the crystallinity, chemistry, additives and size on the consolidation behavior of calcium carbonates, as a model material. The student will synthesize his/her own materials, varying the synthesis conditions in a controlled manner. Prior to studying the sintering behavior of the synthesized powder, thorough characterization will be performed, to learn and understand how the synthesis conditions will affect the powder properties (XRD, in-situ XRD, TGA, DSC, SEM/EDS, …). Conventional and flash sintering will be done in convention and SPS ovens, directly following in-situ the shrinkage of the samples.
We expect to build correlations of synthesis conditions and meta-stability of the particles with the sintering behavior and microstructural development of the product to build a roadmap for bringing the approach to other ceramic materials.
The project will start at EPFL with initial training and familiarization with the particle synthesis process, before following-up at Empa in Dübendorf.
For more information on this interesting opportunity in an emerging research field contact: Prof. Dr. Esther Amstad ([email protected]), and Dr. Michael Stuer ([email protected]).