NIST Polymer Mechanics, Dynamics, and Transport
NIST offers research into how small molecules move through polymers, focusing on property changes in thin films and composites due to swelling.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Base stipend approximately $82,764/year with $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship opportunity at NIST to study small molecule and gas transport through polymeric materials, focusing on thermodynamics, dynamics, and mechanical effects in thin films and composites.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens holding a doctoral degree; requires contacting a NIST research adviser prior to application; applications reviewed in February and August cycles.
Description
This fellowship opportunity, offered through the NRC Research Associateship Programs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), supports postdoctoral research focused on the fundamental mechanisms of small molecule and gas transport through polymeric materials. The research aims to understand how water, solvents, gases, or other small penetrants diffuse through polymers, with particular attention to:
- Thermodynamic interactions between diffusing species and the polymer host.
- Dynamic or kinetic coupling between the polymer matrix and penetrants.
- Mechanical impacts of swelling stresses induced by penetrants on polymer properties.
- Changes in transport and mechanical properties when polymers are confined in thin films or interphases, such as those found in composite materials.
Applications of this research include improving selective transport in membranes (e.g., reverse osmosis, fuel cells) and enhancing barrier properties in coatings and composites.
The fellowship is situated within the Material Measurement Laboratory, Materials Science and Engineering Division at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD.
