PhD Studentship
Tribology of Fiber Reinforced Elastomers and Thermoplastics
Sustainable Elastomers & Thermoplastics by Short-Cut Fiber Reinforcement
The University of Twente is an entrepreneurial research university. It was founded in 1961 and offers education and research in areas ranging from public policy studies and applied physics to biomedical technology. The University has approximately 2700 employees and 8000 MSc and BSc students and is the Netherlands' only campus university.
The chair of Surface Technology and Tribology within the department of Engineering Technology has a job opening for a PhD-student on the project "Sustainable Elastomers and Thermoplastics by Short-Cut Fiber Reinforcement" .
Relatively new short-cut aramid-fiber/ elastomer composites show considerably improved tribological properties, in particular cut, ship and chunk resistance in truck tire treads. In addition, the hysteretic properties of aramid-fiber reinforced rubber are greatly reduced, which can immediately be translated in lower rolling resistance of tires and energy or fuel savings of cars equipped with short-cut fiber reinforced tires. Short-cut fiber reinforced tires are therefore very interesting as valuable contributions to a sustainable world.
Important prerequisites for the improvement in properties of the polymers with the aramid fibers are a strong adhesion between fiber and polymeric substrate, respectively a favorable fiber orientation must be established during processing, in order to prevent anisotropy in friction and wear properties. Unfortunately, there are no general controls and experiences available how short-cut fiber reinforced polymers of all sorts need to be designed with respect to their tribological properties for specific applications.
Aim of the project is to develop scientific understanding and generic models for further development of improved short-cut fiber reinforced polymers, thermoplastic and elastomeric. Reliable tribology test methods, against different materials (e.g. metals and asphalt) will be used in combination with state-of-the- art analytical characterization techniques like SEM, TEM and surface analysis. Experimental investigations will be carried out in parallel with the development of models to describe tribological properties, such as friction and wear, on a micro scale, again in relation to the fiber-matrix adhesion and mean fiber orientation.
This PhD opportunity will suit a person with a degree in physical sciences (physics, engineering, materials science, etc.).
You will be based at the Laboratory for Surface Technology and Tribology of the University of Twente and be joining an innovative and diverse group working on Tribology, Surface Technology and Materials. For more information on the research group visit www.tr.ctw.utwente. nl
More information on this PhD studentship can be obtained from Prof. D.J. Schipper: d.j.schipper@ utwente.nl
Please send your application, with Curriculum Vitae, by email to d.j.schipper@ utwente.nl.
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