About Umicore

Powering the cars of today and tomorrow. Reducing harmful emissions. Giving unique properties to high-end applications. Giving new life to used metals. As a global advanced materials and recycling group, we develop, produce, and recycle materials for a better life.

About Catalysis

Umicore is delivering the catalysis solutions for today and tomorrow. We reduce harmful emissions through advanced automotive catalysts, enable fuel cell driving and clean hydrogen with cutting-edge  catalyst technologies, and support pharmaceutical production with innovative chemical catalysts.

We help customers meet strict environmental standards while improving both efficiency and performance. To meet today's environmental and industrial challenges with ambitious thinking and a drive to innovate, we cannot stand still. This is where you come in.

Background

Corrugated ceramic catalyst supports are used in exhaust-gas aftertreatment systems for heavy-duty vehicles, marine applications and stationary engines, and are increasingly being considered for carbon-capture technologies. Compared with conventional ceramic supports, they offer advantages such as low weight, high catalyst loading capacity and favorable flow characteristics.

Due to their layered structure based on ceramic fibre materials, these supports exhibit complex mechanical behaviour that differs significantly from that of conventional brittle ceramics. In addition to elastic deformation, plastic deformation mechanisms may occur, the origins and implications of which are not yet fully understood. A deeper understanding of these phenomena is essential for the optimisation of material design, manufacturing processes and long-term performance of future catalyst support systems.

Project Description

The aim of this thesis is to characterise and model the mechanical behaviour of corrugated catalyst supports throughout different stages of their lifecycle. Advanced experimental methods will be applied, further developed and validated to investigate the mechanical properties of these structures. A particular focus will be placed on establishing reliable characterisation approaches for complex fibre-based ceramic systems. The project will further involve the development and evaluation of suitable modelling strategies, including Reduced Order Modelling (ROM) approaches, to efficiently describe and predict the mechanical behaviour of corrugated catalyst supports. In addition, the influence of process and material parameters on the mechanical properties of the final product will be investigated, with modelling approaches being used to establish quantitative relationships between manufacturing conditions, material structure and mechanical performance.

Framework Conditions

The work will be carried out at the Umicore AG & Co. KG site in Hanau, Germany. Scientific supervision and assessment will be provided in collaboration with the Technical University of Darmstadt. The overall scientific scope is equivalent to that of a PhD project. However, individual work packages can be defined such that they are suitable for a Master's thesis or, where appropriate, an extended internship. These activities may subsequently be continued and integrated into a PhD project.

What we offer

We aim to lead the way. Not just for our customers, but for our employees too. That is why we strive to create a collaborative environment in which we can all succeed, and a culture through which we can all share ideas, develop our expertise and advance our careers. We engage in building an inclusive work culture that offers equal opportunities for all employees irrespective of their diverse backgrounds. As you would expect from a world-leading organisation, we will also reward your contribution with a competitive salary and benefits. With all this and more, imagine what you could do?