Physicochemical Properties of Sorbent Materials
Research to identify and quantify sorbent material properties that improve the uptake and selectivity of target chemicals for use in sensing devices.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (Naval Research Laboratory opportunity)
Funding Amounts: $99,200 stipend plus $3,000 travel allowance; relocation and health insurance benefits available.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship to research physicochemical properties of custom sorbent materials to enhance chemical sensing and preconcentrator device applications.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents; requires Ph.D. earned within last 5 years; research conducted on-site at Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC.
Description
This fellowship opportunity at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) supports research focused on quantifying the physicochemical properties of custom sorbent materials. These sorbents may be absorbent, adsorbent, or hybrids, including functionalized rubbery materials, metal inorganic frameworks (MIFs), metal organic frameworks (MOFs), and viscous sorbents with strong hydrogen bonding.
The research aims to identify sorbent properties that improve sorptivity and selectivity toward specific analyte molecules such as toxic industrial chemicals (TICs), chemical agents, volatile explosives, and related hazardous chemicals, while discriminating against background substances like fuels and water. Additional goals include mitigating analyte bleed, enhancing sorption uptake kinetics, and increasing sorption capacity.
Standard and advanced analytical techniques will be employed, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption and Ionization (MALDI), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, calorimetry, inverse gas chromatography, and solvation equations. These empirical and semi-empirical measurements will be complemented by computational modeling of sorbent-sorbate interactions.
The outcomes will inform the selection and design of sorbents optimized for use in preconcentrator devices, micro gas analyzers, optically sensitive chemical sensors, and gas chromatographic columns.
