Contrat doctoral : DEVELOPPEMENT DE CAPTEURS PAR APPROCHE MACRO, MICRO ET NANO

Organisation/Company Université de Haute-Alsace Department LPMT Research Field Physics Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 20 Apr 2026 - 17:00 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 37.5 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

As part of the development of smart and/or functional textiles, we propose a research topic combining several areas of expertise available within the laboratory:

• the production of functionalized nanofilament membranes,
• the production of bicomponent filaments (core–sheath or side-by-side structures, for example),
• the positioning and interconnection of sensors using inkjet printing and embroidery.

The objective is to develop textiles capable of measuring certain human biological parameters, such as blood pressure or heart rate. To achieve this, the development of highly flexible sensors that can be easily integrated into textile structures is envisaged.

To this end, three techniques are considered for the development of these sensors—two based on spinning processes and one based on printing. All these techniques are already available and mastered within the LPMT:

• Electrospinning to produce functionalized nonwoven “patches” incorporating metal oxides. This choice is motivated by the need to minimize health risks, as many electrospun sensors contain carbon nanotubes (1), whose negative impact on human health has been demonstrated.
• Melt spinning to produce bicomponent polymer fibers, enabling the development of yarns with electrical conductivity properties suitable for use as interconnection threads in various smart textiles. Moreover, with a suitable choice of combined polymers, these new yarns may also exhibit properties that can be exploited for sensing functions.
• The development of sensors through the printing of piezoresistive inks, which requires careful control of fabric wettability in order to achieve optimal sensor performance.

This threefold approach (nanometric, micrometric, and macrometric), which is relatively uncommon, will make it possible to highlight the advantages and limitations of each technology, with the aim of selecting the most appropriate sensor production technique depending on the targeted application. This study will also enable the evaluation of the characteristics of the developed filaments (electrical properties, percolation threshold, mechanical properties, etc.).

Following the production of these active elements, the integration and interconnection of the sensors will be carried out within the laboratory using patterns combining printing and embroidery (2, 3). These will allow precise positioning of the sensors developed in the first stage, while also ensuring signal transmission from the sensors to the data collection and processing unit.

One of the technological challenges lies in using the functionalized filament as a needle and/or bobbin thread, given the constraints applied to these threads during the formation and execution of embroidery stitches.

The influence of various embroidery parameters—such as stitch type (geometry, width/length, density), the type of thread used for the needle and the bobbin, and the balance between these two threads—on signal transmission quality (4) will be studied to characterize the circuits.

Finally, the expected outcome is to combine functional aspects, particularly the measurement of physiological parameters, with improved comfort, especially in comparison with existing systems.