Researcher on the 4D printing of architectured nanocellulose hydrogel patterns - LGP2

Organisation/Company Grenoble INP - Institute of Engineering Department Engineering Research Field Engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 15 Aug 2026 - 20:00 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 15 Sep 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

Reducing the environmental footprint of materials has become a major challenge for industry. In the paper sector, current efforts focus on decreasing the consumption of natural resources, particularly lignocellulosic fibres and water, while reducing the energy required to manufacture and convert paper products. This transition is driving the development of lighter, higher-performance materials that make more efficient use of raw materials while incorporating an increasing proportion of recycled fibres.

In this context, paper-based sandwich materials play a strategic role in applications such as packaging, transportation, furniture and lightweight construction. Their design relies on separating two thin face sheets with a lightweight core, providing an excellent stiffness-to-weight ratio while minimizing material consumption.

Corrugated board is currently the most widely produced paper-based sandwich structure worldwide, with an annual production exceeding 190 million tonnes. It is manufactured by thermoforming a fluted paper web between heated rolls before bonding it to two flat linerboards. Although this process is highly robust and fully industrialized, it inherently produces a predominantly one-dimensional corrugated geometry and requires significant energy input. As a result, corrugated board exhibits highly anisotropic mechanical properties.

Developing more isotropic core architectures would enable a substantial reduction in paper basis weight (typically 20-30%) while facilitating the use of papers manufactured entirely from recycled fibres. Periodic folded structures such as represent particularly promising alternatives.

However, their industrial adoption remains limited because existing paper-forming technologies are poorly suited to producing complex folding patterns.

The CELFOLD project aims to overcome this technological barrier by developing an innovative manufacturing process based on the 4D printing of architectured nanocellulose hydrogel patterns. As the hydrogel dries, it generates differential shrinkage that induces the spontaneous folding of the paper substrate, transforming an initially flat sheet into a three-dimensional sandwich core. This approach opens the way to a new generation of lightweight paper cellular structures combining low-energy manufacturing, high mechanical efficiency, and unprecedented design freedom. Development of an industrially scalable manufacturing process for high-performance, fully cellulosic sandwich materials

Material selection

• Selection of three recycled-fibre paper substrates
• Selection of three bio-based hydrogel formulations (CNC, CNF and protein-based)

Process development and optimisation

• Hydrogel patterning by screen printing
• Drying-induced self-folding and shape formation
• Assembly of sandwich structures

Structural characterisation and optimisation

• Mechanical characterisation of the sandwich structures
• Optimisation of core architectures for different application requirements

Techno-economic and environmental assessment

• Techno-economic analysis of the manufacturing process Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• Benchmarking against conventional corrugated board and composite sandwich materials

Research Field Engineering » Materials engineering Education Level PhD or equivalent

The candidate shall hold a PhD in Mechanics, Materials Science, or a closely related discipline.

Core competencies

• Strong experimental skills and a keen interest in bio-based materials, forming processes, and the mechanical behaviour of structures.
• Knowledge of printing processes, hydrogel rheology, and/or the design and characterisation of sandwich structures would be considered an asset.
• Ability to work independently, with strong scientific rigour and the capacity to conduct research in an interdisciplinary environment involving both academic and industrial partners