Research
Mobility GT will be realised in two calls for two cohorts of 12 postdocs each. Half the positions in each cohort will initially focus on fundamental nanoscale research at the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), with the other half working on macroscale, application-oriented tribology research of materials, surfaces, coatings and lubrication at the University of Leeds (UK), Luleå University of Technology (Sweden) or the University of Coimbra (Portugal). This will be followed by what will be an exciting, compulsory switch between the two length scales after 24 months (and includes a mandatory secondment at an intersectoral/industrial partner) as the “nanoscale” postdocs take what they have discovered to the macroscale, and the “macroscale” postdocs get the chance to look more deeply into their findings on the nanoscale. This means the postdocs will finish off with a 6-month academic secondment to complement the main period of research.
The Mobility GT post-docs, with their own-idea research projects, will be able to address major challenges in green tribology in the following research areas:
- Nanoscale-based green lubrication and surface technology (Ljubljana)
- Nano-scale wear and friction mechanisms
- Nanoparticles and nanomaterials
- Nano-mechano-chemistry of lubricating films
- Tribo-electro-nano generation
- Superlubricity mechanisms
- Physical-chemistry of interfaces
- Advanced mobility contacts: fuel cell, hydrogen and gas
- Boundary films & tribochemical interfaces (Leeds)
- Next generation of lubricants and fluids for green transport
- Adapted green materials for green mobility technologies
- Novel low-carbon and biofuels for transport
- In-situ adapted contact lubrication modelling
- Green lubrication for lightweight composites and lubrication modelling (Luleå)
- Polymer composite green lubrication
- Smart self-lubricating polymer surfaces
- Fossil-free lubrication on demand
- Hydrogen for polymer tribology
- Soft-surface lubrication modelling
- Wear-resistant, low-friction, advanced surface coatings (Coimbra)
- Solid self-lubricating low-friction coatings
- Nanocomposite design for wear-resistant coatings
- Designing nanocomposite surfaces by multiscale simulation
- Coatings for polymer composite surfaces
- Thin film in-contact sensors
Several sub-areas have already been identified, guided by 30 academic mentors, specialising in different research fields. The candidates are also welcome to propose their own unique research sub-areas.
The proposed projects can be of any type: purely experimental, theoretical, based on modelling, constructing digital twins, as well as combining various methodologies, can be interdisciplinary or very applicable, driven by the real industrial sector or testing the vast realm of never-before-imagined solutions. The project is not limited to the network of hosting institutions provided by Mobility GT but can as well include new partner organisations proposed by the applicant, for example, the current host institution/company of the candidate or other forms of collaboration if jointly agreed.