PhD student in interfacial physics and electrochemistry for Project BUBBLE-AFM (PRISM programme, MSCA COFUND) ESPCI Paris - PSL University in France

PRISM (PhD Research Programme for International Training in Sustainable Soft Matter) is offering a fully funded PhD opportunity at ESPCI Paris - PSL University in Paris, France, as part of the EU co-funded MSCA COFUND programme. This call provides up to 14 doctoral fellowships starting on 1 March 2027, with interdisciplinary training, international mobility, secondments, and courses in sustainability, innovation, entrepreneurship, career development, and transferable skills.

The advertised PhD project, BUBBLE-AFM: Molecular processes at electrode/electrolyte interfaces during water electrolysis: from solvent restructuring to nanobubble nucleation, sits at the intersection of interfacial physics, electrochemistry, surface science, soft matter, and energy materials. The project addresses a key bottleneck in water electrolysis for green hydrogen production: the formation, growth, and adhesion of gas bubbles on electrode surfaces, which reduce efficiency and alter mass transport.

The doctoral research will combine electrochemical control with in situ Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in liquid environments to study molecular-scale processes at electrode/electrolyte interfaces. Starting with model electrodes such as graphite, the project will use high-speed, high-resolution dynamic force spectroscopy to probe solvation forces, solvent restructuring, gas supersaturation, and the earliest stages of nanobubble nucleation. The work will then extend to more realistic electrodes to correlate nanobubble formation with wettability, surface roughness, topography, and defects, and to link nanoscale interfacial phenomena with macroscopic electrochemical performance.

The project is hosted within ESPCI Paris - PSL, with supervision from Jean Comtet and Loic Assaud, who bring complementary expertise in soft matter at interfaces, wetting and solid/liquid interfaces, electrochemistry, and nanostructured electrocatalytic interfaces. The research unit context includes the Soft Matter Science and Engineering Laboratory (SIMM) and the Institute of Porous Materials of Paris (IMAP), offering a strong environment for experimental nanoscience and scanning probe microscopy.

Funding is included: the PRISM programme offers a competitive doctoral salary, with an approximate net monthly stipend of €2,200 and possible family and mobility allowances for eligible fellows. The position is open to international applicants, subject to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie transnational mobility rule. Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent, have strong English proficiency (C1 for candidates from non-English-speaking countries), and be able to start on 1 March 2027.

Applications must be submitted via the PRISM website by 31 October 2026 at 23:59 Paris time. Candidates are encouraged to contact the supervisors before applying. The selection process includes eligibility screening, remote review, and an interview stage by videoconference.