Masterthesis/internship: Circular Flax Textile-Reinforced Sandwich Panels

• Title: Circular Flax Textile-Reinforced Sandwich Panels for Quiet and Lightweight Vehicle Interiors

In this master’s thesis or internship project, the candidate will work with us on the development of sandwich panels made from natural fiber composites. The goal is to design recyclable thermoplastic sandwich panels with improved acoustic properties and mechanical performance for automotive applications.

The work will involve:

• Fabricating skin panels from natural fiber composites using processes such as compounding, overcoating, and hot pressing
• Developing techniques for core–skin bonding
• Characterizing selected polymers and composites in terms of thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties
• Evaluating the mechanical recyclability of the resulting composites

Skills / Profile:
You are a good fit for this position if you:

• are currently a master’s student in polymer chemistry, materials science, or composite processing
• have experience (or a strong interest) in polymer processing, polymer analysis, and life cycle assessment
• are enthusiastic about interdisciplinary research involving chemistry, materials science, and processing technologies
• can work independently while collaborating effectively within a research team

Duration: Minimum 4 months
Start date: Flexible, to be discussed

Contact: Dr. Sithiprumnea Dul
Please send your CV and a short motivation letter to sithiprumnea.dul@empa.ch. For further information, please feel free to get in touch.