Download here the internship subjects proposed in 2023-2024
Discover here the Master and PhD projects that are currently offered at ITI HiFunMat
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Rules to choose your internship:
- Internships in France (Grand Est region): it is mandatory to perform your internship in a HiFunMat laboratory, under the supervision of a HiFunMat member.
- Internships abroad or in industry: you can choose to go abroad or to industry for your M1 and/or M2 internship
How to find your internship?
- This webpage
- The list of internship positions given to you by your Master program
- LinkedIn or your personal/professional network
- If you cannot find an internship that suits you, please contact us. We can help you find the right HiFunMat laboratory / research subject
- We can help you prepare your application (CV, motivation letter)
Open 1st year Master internship positions - 2024-2025
Looking for a M1 internship? New subjects will be posted all along August - October 2024
Do not hesitate to look at the M2 internship subjects as well. Sometimes they can be adapted for M1 students.
Understanding Biomineralization from Complex Coacervates
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Mehdi Vahdati
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Biocompatible, in situ injectable, and curable foam for negative pressure therapy
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Jennifer Rodon Fores
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Late-Stage Visible-light-assisted Functionalization of Uracil derivatives as potential antimalarial agents
Laboratory and supervisor: LIMA, Sébastien Albrecht
Student profile: chemistry
Development of ratiometric fluorescent chemosensors for ferric iron detection in disease diagnosis
Laboratory and supervisor: LIMA, Sébastien Albrecht
Collaboration with: IS2M, Camélia Matei Ghimbeu
Student profile: chemistry
Design, synthesis and characterization of luminescent host-guest inorganic-organic systems
Laboratory and supervisor: IPCMS, Guillaume Rogez & Anthony D'Aleo
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
MOFs as electrodes material for metal-ion batteries
Laboratory and supervisor: CMC, Sylvie Ferlay
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Molecular Dynamics of Electrochemical systems
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Tristan Asset
Collaboration with: ICPEES, Elena Savinova
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
Synthesis of conjugated polymers for doped electronic applications
Laboratory and supervisor: IPCMS, Stéphane Mery
Collaboration with: ICPEES, Nicolas Leclerc & Olivier Bardagot, ICS, Martin Brinkmann
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Towards sustainable polymer foams for thermal insulation
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Wiebke Drenckhan
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
Synthesis of stimuli-responsive copolymers
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Madeline Vauthier
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Development of Ni@CrOx electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Tristan Asset
Collaboration with: ICPEES, Elena R. Savinova
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Natural Polymer Based Hydrogel for Supercapacitor Applications
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Sirine Zallouz
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Plasma polymerization: investigation of physico-chemical properties of novel thin films
Laboratory and supervior: IS2M, Jamerson Carneiro de Oliveira
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Out of equilibrium dynamics of soft microparticles
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Fabrice Thalmann
Collaboration with: ICS, Antonio Stocco
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
How do Molecules Process Information : Conformational Spread in Giant Megamer Proteins
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Tatiana Schmatko
Collaboration with: ICS, Igor Kulic & IS2M, Laurent Pieuchot
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Modelising the pore growth in polyurethane matrices through a microfluidic setup
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Wiebke Drenckhan
Collaboration with: BASF Polyuethanes
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
Open 2nd year Master internship positions - 2024-2025
Looking for a M2 internship? New subjects will be posted all along August - September 2024
Design of bimetallic nanostructures for plasmon-induced CO2 recycling into methane
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Valérie Caps
Collaboration with: ICS, Doru Constantin
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
Synthesis and photophysical study of new potential photosensitizers for stimuliresponsive photodynamic therapy
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Carlotta Figliola
Student profile: chemistry
Constructing complex multilayer stacks from sustainable materials with anisotropic properties
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Olivier Felix
Collaboration with: ICS, Thierry Roland
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Catalytic localism in layer-by-layer composite films for light-driven water treatment
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Olivier Felix
Collaboration with: ICPEES, Nicolas Keller & INSERM U1121, Lydie Ploux
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Tuning the thermomechanical properties of novel sustainable polymeric materials
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Mehdi Vahdati
Collaboration with: Saint-Gobain, Francisco Cedano
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Biosourced Complex Coacervates for the Development of Tissue Adhesives
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Mehdi Vahdati
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Physics and mechanics of polymer solutions and gels in novel green solvents
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Mehdi Vahdati
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Understanding Biomineralization from Complex Coacervates
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Mehdi Vahdati
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Optical probes for the measurement of viscosity in complex coacervates
Laboratory and supervisor: CMC, Guillermo Monreal Santiago
Collaboration with: ICS, Mehdi Vahdati
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Exploration of the link between structure and properties of Elastin-like peptides
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Jennifer Rodon Fores
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Localized Photo-ElectroChemical measurements: Rapid optimization of photoelectrode materials for H2 production
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Thomas Cottineau
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
Dynamics of Bottlebrush Complex Coacervates
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Delphine Chan-Seng
Collaboration with: ICS, Mehdi Vahdati
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Exploration of novel pathway for the synthesis of trifluoromethyldiazirine derivatives for photoaffinity labelling in target- and binding-site identification
Laboratory and supervisor: LIMA, Sébastien Albrecht
Student profile: chemistry
Novel Recyclable Multifunctional Biporous Materials Based on Poly(Ionic Liquid)s
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Daniel Grande
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Toward the development and study of new Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescent dyes for use in Organic Light Emitting Diodes
Laboratory and supervisor: IPCMS, Anthony D'Aleo
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
MOFs as electrodes material for metal-ion batteries
Laboratory and supervisor: CMC, Sylvie Ferlay
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Molecular Dynamics of Electrochemical systems
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Tristan Asset
Collaboration with: ICPEES, Elena Savinova
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
Synthesis of conjugated polymers for doped electronic applications
Laboratory and supervisor: IPCMS, Stéphane Mery
Collaboration with: ICPEES, Nicolas Leclerc & Olivier Bardagot, ICS, Martin Brinkmann
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Towards sustainable polymer foams for thermal insulation
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Wiebke Drenckhan
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
Effect of unsaturation position within phospholipids on oxidation of simple model of cell membranes
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Tatiana Schmatko
Collaboration with: ICS, Pierre Muller
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Synthesis of stimuli-responsive copolymers
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Madeline Vauthier
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Encapsulation of fragrance molecules in polymeric particles
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Madeline Vauthier
Student profile: material science and engineering
Anisotropic n-type Thermoelectric Polymers prepared by polarity switching
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Martin Brinkmann
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Elaboration of mesoporous conducting polymer layers for ammonia sensor
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Laure Biniek
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Development of electronically conducting ultraporous materials for energy storage
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Laure Biniek
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Solar light driven photocatalysis for the synthesis of H2 solar fuel by reforming of plastics
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Nicolas Keller
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Development of Ni@CrOx electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Tristan Asset
Collaboration with: ICPEES, Elena R. Savinova
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Plasma polymerization: novel thin films, their properties and possible impact of light on their formation
Laboratory and supervisor: IS2M, Jamerson Carneiro de Oliveira
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Study of the electrospun nanofibers morphology obtained from liquid-liquid dispersions containing fluorophore-labelled polymers for biomedical applications
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Emeline Lobry
Collaboration with: ICPEES, Carlotta Figliola
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
ZnO-M hierarchical nanostructures for green production of H2 by photo-electrochemical water splitting
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Thomas Cottineau
Collaboration with: IPCMS, Benoît Pichon
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
Functionalization of TiO2-gated organic photo-electrochemical transistor for light-activated sensing
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Thomas Cottineau
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
Elaboration and characterization of electrospun membranes with controlled pore sizes for biomedical applications
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Emeline Lobry
Collaboration with: ICPEES, Guy Schlatter
Student profile: material science and engineering
Solar light driven Fe-based heterogeneous catalysts for the degradation of biorecalcitrant antibiotics in water
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Nicolas Keller
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Solar light driven synthesis of H2O2 from H2O and O2 on 2D-layered g-C3N4 based catalysts
Laboratory and supervisor: ICPEES, Nicolas Keller
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry
Out of equilibrium dynamics of soft microparticles
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Fabrice Thalmann
Collaboration with: ICS, Antonio Stocco
Student profile: material science and engineering, chemistry, physics
How do Molecules Process Information : Conformational Spread in Giant Megamer Proteins
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Tatiana Schmatko
Collaboration with: ICS, Igor Kulic & IS2M, Laurent Pieuchot
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Sustainable Solvents For High-Performance Organic Solar Cells By Reverse Engineering
Laboratory and supervisor: ICUBE, Thomas Heiser
Collaboration with: ICUBE Patrick Levêque, Yaochen Lin
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Coupling of Nanoindentation and Microsphere-Assisted Microscopy for the Characterization of Polymer Surfaces
Laboratory and supervisor: ICS, Marina Pecora & Christian Gauthier
Collaboration with: ICUBE, Sylvain Leclerc
Student profile: material science and engineering, physics
Fabrication and functionalization of silicon nanoparticles for the development of a biochemical sensor
Laboratory and supervisor: ICUBE, Gérald Ferblantier
Collaboration with: ICUBE, Emilie Steveler
Student profile: material science and engineering
Open PhD projects
New routes to obtain PU nanofibrous membrane by combination of electrospinning and photopolymerization – application to liquid filtration
Project acronym : SMILE
PhD Supervisors : Anne Sophie Schuller & Emeline Lobry
Offer : download here
Laboratory : LPIM & ICPEES
Starting date : October 2024
The PhD project aims to develop a high-performance membrane for liquid filtration with pore size ranging from 50 nm to 500 nm in order to cover different applications. Electrospinning is a process used to manufacture nanofibrous mats for various applications including mechanical reinforcements, filters, sensors and biomedical applications. It is based on the propulsion of a jet of a viscous polymer solution thanks to an intense electric field.
Combining solvent-free electrospinning and photopolymerization will produce nanofibrous membranes merging the environmental advantages of both manufacturing processes (no solvent, ambient temperature, low energy consumption) and outstanding properties of electrospun fibers. Polyurethane acrylate (PUA) matrix was selected due to its broad use and its excellent mechanical properties and chemical resistance.
The goal is to develop photopolymerizable formulations by adapting their kinetics and rheological properties to match with electrospinning process conditions. By tuning the oligomers macromolecular properties and the process conditions (photo physic and process parameters), it is expected to tune the structural properties of the mats. The membrane will be fully characterized (chemistry, fiber diameter, pore, mechanical properties) as well as their filtration or diffusion performance and their chemical resistance.
The different tasks consist in:
- The development and optimization of PU-based photopolymerization formulations.
- The study of the kinetics and characterization of the rheological properties in order to adapt the formulations to the constraints of the electrospinning process.
- The study of the effect of the process parameters (electrospinning parameters and irradiation) on the structural properties of the membranes obtained.
- The characterization of the liquid filtration properties of the membranes.
Deciphering the R-Body Extension-RetrAction Mechanism
Project acronym : DREAM
PhD Supervisors : Laurent Pieuchot, Tatiana Schmatko et Igor Kulic
Laboratory : IS2M & ICS
Starting date : October 2024
R-bodies are molecular pistons produced by endosymbiotic bacteria that can switch in a fraction of second from self-enrolled 500nm ribbons to 20 microns membrane-perforating needles. Their extension is triggered by pH variation without the consumption of any chemical energy, via a mechanism that remains unclear. Here we propose to decipher R-bodies extension-retraction cycle dynamics and mechanism by combining microfluidics, high speed imaging, force measurement methods and modelling. Briefly, R-bodies will be produced in bacteria and immobilized inside microfluidic chambers allowing buffer exchange on demand. We will assess the influence of buffer viscosity on R-bodies dynamics and the force generated during retraction using high speed imaging and optical tweezers. These data will help us to build a R-body numerical model using the measured parameters. This work will help us to understand the R-Body extension-retraction, opening new roads for the development of organic micro-actuators.
Ongoing Ph.D. projects HiFunMat Grants
Design & Synthesis of Novel TADF Polymer for Opto-Electronic Application
Project acronym : DesPot-Electro
PhD Supervisors : Anthony D'Aléo & Nicolas Leclerc
PhD student : Apply now
Laboratory : IPCMS & ICPEES
Starting date : October 2023
Summary
We aim at synthesizing and studying polymers containing curcuminoid borondifluoride (CurcBF2) for applications in organic electronics. These polymers will present thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) properties allowing to recycle triplet into singlet excited states. Such properties are not common and are expected to lead to a technological breakthrough in organic laser diode application.
While TADF properties will be provided by the CurcBF2 moiety, the polymer structure will allow to control the aggregation of the dyes by choosing the quantity of the CurcBF2 entity relative to the other monomer. Such control is not possible to be achieved with small molecule in blend since CurcBF2 tend to form dimeric aggregates. This work will therefore permit to unravel the spin-orbit component of TADF mechanism. Our strategy also aims at improving the morphological stability which constitutes a prerequisite for industrial use.
Catalytic Localism in Layer-by-Layer Composite
Project acronym : CATLOC
PhD Supervisors : N. Keller & O. Felix
PhD student : The offer will be online soon
Laboratory : ICPEES & ICS
Starting date : October 2023
Summary:
Water treatment is a priority health issue that scientists must address, as treatments in place to date fail to flush a wide span of high-concern biorecalcitrant organic pollutants, antibiotics in particular. Among high-prospect AOPs, H2O2-driven photo-CWPO catalysis can yield full mineralization of refractory compounds in water at high reaction rates under solar light. However, it still faces a limited perspective for technological deployment due to the necessary external use of costly, non-sustainable H2O2 as oxidant. Based on the concept of catalytic localism, we aim at designing catalytic architectures that embark solar light active catalysts allowing in-situ H2O2 synthesis from H2O and O2 and further usage. They will be built by layer-by layer self-assembly to control the spatial positioning of both catalysts, using organic and inorganic polyelectrolytes. We finally aim at validating their use on non-pathogenic multi-species bacterial biofilms used as sentinels of water quality.
STED-like Multiphoton Lithography using Bi-functional Self-Immolative Monomers
Project acronym : UNIVERSTED
PhD Supervisors : Dr HDR Jean-Pierre Malval / Dr Hélène CHaumeil
PhD student : Aissa Id Boualim
Laboratory : Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M), Mulhouse / Laboratoire d'Innovation Moléculaire et Applications, Mulhouse
Starting date : October 2022
Research team's webpage
Summary:
In order to circumvent the real scarcity of photoinitiators suitable for STED-like multiphoton lithography, the UNIVERSTED project proposes an alternative strategy which will rehabilitate the use of any two-photon active photoinitiator. Our approach which has never been developed to date, will not focus on activation/deactivation of the photoinitiator reactivity but on construction/deconstruction of the photopolymerisable resin. For this purpose, a new generation of bi-functional monomers integrating both photocleavable and crosslinking groups will be elaborated. The implementation of these functions should guarantee a specific photo activation upon two distinctive excitation wavelengths. Therefore, these smart materials can growth and/or ‘self-immolate’ through a STED-like approach using non specific two-photon active photoinitiators.
SUPER resolved miCroscopy for studying the anisotropic opticaL properties of oriented ASsemblies of Silver nanowires
Project acronym : SUPERCLASS
PhD Supervisors : Dr HDR Manuel Flury / Dr Matthias Pauly
PhD Student : Farid Mahfoud
Laboratory : ICUBE, Strasbourg / Institut Charles Sadron, Strasbourg
Starting date : October 2022
Research team's webpage
Summary:
Metamaterials are nanostructures with subwavelength dimensions that allow light to be controlled in unprecedented ways. These materials can be prepared by self-assembly of nanoparticles, and the resulting optical properties depend not only on those of the individual building blocks, but mainly on interactions between them. The challenge is thus to measure light interaction with the nanostructures at the micro/nano scale in order to tune the macroscopic far-field response.
The SUPERCLASS project consists in investigating the optical properties of oriented silver nanowire films as function of light polarization and sample deformation. Polarization-dependent 2D Spectral maps will first be measured using white light interference microscopy. Then, super-resolved local spectroscopy using a microsphere will be developed to improve the lateral spatial resolution below the micrometre scale. This experimental data will be compared to rigorous electromagnetic simulations to obtain a better understanding at various scales.
Hydrogels pour une libération localisée de complexes NHC-platine ciblant la mitochondrie pour combattre le glioblastome
Project acronym: Hydro-NHC
PhD Supervisors: Béatrice Heurtault & Stéphane Bellemin-Laponnaz
PhD Student: Patricia Fernandez De Larrinoa
Laboratory: LCAMB & IPCMS
Starting date: October 2021
Summary:
The main objective of the Hydro-NHC project is to develop solutions that can simultaneously eradicate cancer cells and cancer stem cells (CSC) from glioblastoma, by applying localized treatment. To address this issue and on the basis of our previous results and hypotheses, we propose to develop organometallic complexes of type metallo-carbene -based on platinum- which induce mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in malignant cells. These complexes will then be formulated and integrated into biocompatible hydrogels based on albumin or hyaluronic acid, allowing prolonged local administration of the therapeutic agent in the heart of the malignant tissue, avoiding the need to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
3D Printed Monoliths and Porous Particles by Photocatalyzed Polymerization for Heterogeneous Catalysis
Project acronym: PhotoCat
PhD Supervisors: Abraham Chemtob & Morgan Cormier
PhD Student: Cloé Delacourt
Laboratory: IS2M & LIMA
Starting date: October 2021
Summary:
Supported catalysts are the major class of catalysts used in industry. With the advent of eco-efficient photoredox catalysis processes, there is a need for a new set of photocatalyst supports. PhotoCat project aims at preparing a new generation of precisely shaped porous polymer supports embedding non-toxic organic dyes. This project combines the competences of IS2M in photopolymerization and LIMA in heterogeneous photocatalysis. To ease synthesis, a photocatalyzed radical polymerization is carried out, thus avoiding the need for an initiator and resulting in the single-step preparation of the support and the physical trapping of the photocatalyst. Precise shaping of the support in the form of monoliths or particles are made possible by 3D printing and emulsion polymerization techniques. Control of porosity from micro- to macro scale is ensured by external porogens via templating or phase separation effect. These new heterogeneous photocatalysts are evaluated for model organic transformations (Aza-Henry reaction, [2+2] cyclization of dienone, 1O2photosensitization-oxidation) in batch and flow photoreactors
