(s.foerster@fz-juelich.de)

Waterborne coatings are becoming an eco-friendly alternative to solventborne coatings, which are harmful to human health and the environment. Despite substantial developments, waterborne coatings can still not compete with solventborne coatings in key high-performance applications. This is due to the lack of control of the dispersion and film formation process, which for advanced waterborne coatings proceeds via a complex sequence of morphologies, which ultimately decide on the final film properties and potential applications.

The project aims to understand and steer the structural evolution from the waterborne polymer dispersion to the final film to tailor film properties for high-performance applications. This will be achieved by utilizating innovative synthesis of hybrid particles with specifically tailored morphologies together with the application of a unique set of advanced analytical tools involving neutron- and X-ray scattering, as well as electron microscopy to characterize in detail the evolution of properties and morphologies from the dispersion to the final film.

The GNeuS post-doc will become familiar with the synthesis, fabrication and characterization of modern high-performance coatings involving state-of-the-art neutron and complementary techniques, and develop a modern portfolio of skills in both academic and industrial settings.