PhD student Femtosecond study and control of surfactants on water

Work Activities

Surfactants are among the most used chemicals, fulfilling important roles in cleaning, as emulsifiers, and as foaming and wetting agents. Surfactants also play a crucial role in living systems, e.g. in the formation and functioning of membranes.

In this project you will study the interfacial properties of aqueous solutions of commonly used surfactants with advanced ultrafast spectroscopic techniques including vibrational surface sum-frequency generation. The signal measured with this technique provides direct information on the nature of the vibrations of the molecules near the surface and on the orientation of the molecular groups carrying the vibrations. With this technique you will investigate the effect of adding ions and small molecules on the surface coverage and surface configuration of the surfactant molecules and the molecular-scale properties of the interface, like the electric field, the orientation of the water molecules, and the near-surface density of added molecules and ions. We will also investigate the mutual interaction of anionic, cationic and neutral surfactants, and the extent to which the interaction of surfactants can lead to a high surface coverage and decrease of the surface tension at minimal bulk surfactant concentrations.

This project aims to lead to new, easily applicable methods to reduce the required amounts of surfactants in (industrial) chemical application. The goal is to achieve a similar surface coverage and surface tension reduction with bulk surfactant concentrations that are orders of magnitude lower than are now commonly used. The reduction of the required amount of surfactant to clean or to create an emulsion can have enormous environmental benefits.

The research work will be carried out within the Ultrafast Spectroscopy group of Prof. dr. H.J. Bakker. In this project we will work closely together with Hogeschool Fontys. Together we will develop a system in which we can vary different parameters (added salt concentrations, combinations of surfactants, temperature etc.) in an automated manner, to find the optimal conditions for reducing the surface tension and to form emulsions.

Qualifications

Masters degree in Physics or Physical Chemistry

Work environment

AMOLF is a part of NWO-I and initiate and performs leading fundamental research on the physics of complex forms of matter, and to create new functional materials, in partnership with academia and industry. The institute is located at Amsterdam Science Park and currently employs about 140 researchers and 80 support employees. www.amolf.nl

Working conditions

• The working atmosphere at the institute is largely determined by young, enthusiastic, mostly foreign employees. Communication is informal and runs through short lines of communication.
• The position is intended as full-time (40 hours / week, 12 months / year) appointment in the service of the Netherlands Foundation of Scientific Research Institutes (NWO-I) for the duration of four years
• The starting salary is 2.781 Euro’s gross per month and a range of employment benefits.
• After successful completion of the PhD research a PhD degree will be granted at a Dutch University.
• Several courses are offered, specially developed for PhD-students.
• AMOLF assists any new foreign PhD-student with housing and visa applications and compensates their transport costs and furnishing expenses.

More information?

For further information about the position, please contact Huib Bakker: h.bakker@amolf.nl and .

Application

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Diversity code

AMOLF is highly committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment: we want to develop talent and creativity by bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures. We recruit and select on the basis of competencies and talents. We strongly encourage anyone with the right qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical ability.

AMOLF has won the NNV Diversity Award 2022, which is awarded every two years by the Netherlands Physical Society for demonstrating the most successful implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

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