We are always looking for enthusiastic scientists capable of working in an interdisciplinary team. If you are interested in creating materials by simple self-assembly processes, pattern surfaces with high precision without relying on sophisticated equipment or simply enjoy watching colloids on their quest to find an energetic minimum position get in touch.
Thesis offers
To apply for a bachelor- and master thesis or a miniproject, please contact the responsible person via email and provide a CV and an up-to-date transcript of records.
Scale-Up of Monodisperse, Single Core Double Emulsions via 2-step and 1-step membrane emulsification
Bachelor’s or Miniproject
Supervisor: Lukas Römling
Emulsions are systems that we encounter every day, from the milk we have with our coffee, the butter on your bread to the sunscreens and lotions that protect and moisture our skin.
Technologically, emulsions are of high importance also in the fields of material sciences, pharmaceutics or in the food industry. In these fields, the size distribution of the droplets plays a major role. Monodisperse droplets significantly enhance the predictability of emulsion systems, increasing their stability, making rheological properties easily adjustable or enhancing the precise delivery of active ingredients in drug delivery.
Monodisperse emulsions can be produced by using microfluidics, however the throughput of these systems is extremely low. High throughput techniques, such as spray drying work wonderfully on a large scale but have a highly polydisperse droplet size distribution. Alternatively, we are using membrane emulsification in a simple setup, which produces near monodisperse emulsions on a larger scale than microfluidics. In our lab, we use these monodisperse droplets to template the self-assembly of primary particles into defined structures called supraparticles. (Figure 1)
Double emulsions (W/O/W or O/W/O) bring the additional benefit of having 2 inner phases doubling their potential applications, but making their production much more tedious. As simple 2-step batch process has been established before but results in low throughput.
In this project, we will use the membrane emulsification technique in a two-step process to make single core double emulsions and evaluate the performance compared to microfluidics and other established emulsification methods. Additionally, the goal is to establish a 1-step setup for making monodisperse SCDE, by using 3D printed membrane setups and optimizing the parameters for continuous operation.
The language of the thesis will be English, however training you can receive in German or English.
Time Scope: 3-4 months including the time to write the thesis.
Starting date: As soon as possible, no later than the middle of August
Halide-free synthesis of bimetallic silver-gold alloy nanoparticles
Bachelor’s or Master’s
Supervisor: Nabi Traoré
Nanoparticles are defined with an average size of 1 to 100 nm. Particles in this size range show interesting properties (optical, electronic, etc.) and therefore are already in use in multiple industries (Medicine, Electronics, Chemical Industry, etc). Multimetallic nanoparticles are often used to combine properties of multiple metals or unlock synergistic effects (e.g., for catalysis).
The synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles is strongly influenced by the hydrochemistry in the reaction solution. Especially relevant is the precipitation of poorly soluble silver-chloride, which complicates the synthesis of homogeneously alloyed nanoparticles.
The aim of this project is to synthesize spherical silver-gold alloy nanoparticles using halide-free gold precursors to remove the issue of silver-chloride formation. This could enable a significant simplification in the synthesis of anisotropic silver-gold nanostructures.
Requirements
The work offers a huge level of freedom and the opportunity to directly influence the outcome of the study.
Initiative, motivation, and diligence are a prerequisites. Subject-related knowledge, however, can be acquired over the course of the work.
Biodegradable PHBV/PLA Supraparticles for Position-Controlled Dual Drug Release in Laser-Based 3D-Prints
Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis
Supervisor: Frederic Rudlof
Biodegradable polymer systems with spatially controlled drug release offer promising solutions for next-generation bone implants. This work focuses on PHBV/PLA composite supraparticles, combining two polymers with distinct degradation profiles: PHBV degrades within ~6 months, while PLA persists for over 12–24 months.
Primary particles of both polymers are produced via size-controlled miniemulsion and assembled into supraparticles by spray drying in varying size ratios. In a first step, drug-free systems are evaluated in cell studies to understand degradation behavior. Subsequently, anti-inflammatory agents are incorporated into the faster-degrading PHBV, and osteogenic compounds into PLA. The composite powders are processed into 3D structures via laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/P).
This project aims to establish a bioresorbable platform for dual, position-dependent drug release, tailored through material degradation and supraparticle architecture.
Requirements:
This thesis offers a high level of freedom in planning and execution. Good time management, self-organization, and a proactive mindset are essential.
Motivation, initiative, and diligence are key to navigating the experimental and interdisciplinary nature of the work.
No prior subject-specific knowledge is required – relevant skills and background can be acquired during the project.
Dual-Polymer Dry Blend Supraparticles for Tunable Drug Release and Degradation-Driven Porosity in 3D-Prints
Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis
Supervisor: Frederic Rudlof
The use of biodegradable polymers in additive manufacturing enables implant systems with both structural and therapeutic functionality. This thesis explores a dry blend approach using pure PLA and PHBV supraparticles, each produced separately by spray drying of miniemulsion-derived primary particles. PHBV degrades within ~6 months under physiological conditions, while PLA remains stable for over 12–24 months.
First, drug-free supraparticles are studied to investigate the degradation-driven changes in porosity and mechanical stability of laser-printed test specimens over time. In a second phase, anti-inflammatory agents are embedded in PHBV and osteogenic compounds in PLA prior to supraparticle formation. These are then blended in defined ratios and processed into 3D structures via powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/P).
This study aims to understand how polymer-specific degradation influences drug release, implant porosity, and long-term stability, offering insights into the design of next-generation bioresorbable implants with tunable release profiles and evolving architecture.
Requirements:
This thesis offers a high level of freedom in planning and execution. Good time management, self-organization, and a proactive mindset are essential.
Motivation, initiative, and diligence are key to navigating the experimental and interdisciplinary nature of the work.
No prior subject-specific knowledge is required – relevant skills and background can be acquired during the project.
Preparation and Spray-drying of PLA / PDA composite Supraparticles as biodegradable absorber alternative for visible light powder bed fusion
Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis
Supervisor: Frederic Rudlof
The growing demand for sustainable and biocompatible materials in additive manufacturing has led to increased interest in bio-based polymers for advanced applications such as tissue engineering and medical implants. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a promising candidate due to its biodegradability and biocompatibility, but its low absorption in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) range limits its use with alternative light sources such as diode lasers. To overcome this, polydopamine (PDA) is introduced as a broadband absorber with strong UV–NIR absorption and additional biofunctional advantages.
This work investigates the potential of PLA/PDA composite supraparticles for laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/P) using visible and NIR light.
PLA and PDA primary particles are combined via miniemulsion and spray drying to create composite powders. These are characterized in terms of flowability, thermal behavior, and optical properties, and processed using both CO₂ and diode lasers. The printed parts are then evaluated for mechanical properties, microstructure, and interlayer bonding. The goal is to assess the feasibility of visible-light-driven PBF for producing resorbable, biocompatible structures suitable for future biomedical applications.
Requirements:
This thesis offers a high level of freedom in planning and execution. Good time management, self-organization, and a proactive mindset are essential.
Motivation, initiative, and diligence are key to navigating the experimental and interdisciplinary nature of the work.
No prior subject-specific knowledge is required – relevant skills and background can be acquired during the project.
Overall, this project is ideal for students who are looking for an independent, hands-on research experience with room for creativity and impact.
Synthesis and Characterization of Silica-Polymer Core-Shell Particles
Miniproject
Supervisor: Ruiguang Cui
Studying particles at two-dimensional (2D) interfaces is of fundamental scientific interest and has practical implications in fields such as optical materials, lithography, and biosensing. Among various colloidal systems, hybrid core-shell particles—comprising a hard inorganic core and a soft polymer shell—offer unique physical properties that lie between those of fully rigid or fully soft particles. These core-shell systems exhibit spontaneous adsorption to interfaces and can be tailored to assemble into ordered structures through their polymer shells, particularly when using stimuli-responsive polymers (e.g., pH- or temperature-sensitive systems).
In this mini-project, we aim to synthesize silica-polymer core-shell particles and study how synthetic conditions influence their structure. The core silica particles are prepared using the well-established Stöber method, while polymer shells are grown via UV-light-induced controlled polymerization (specifically RAFT polymerization, i.e., Reversible Addition–Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization).
Project Goals
- Investigate how reaction parameters (e.g., UV exposure time, monomer concentration, block copolymer formation) affect particle size, polymer chain length, and shell structure
- Characterize the resulting core-shell particles through techniques such as FTIR, NMR, GPC, TGA, DLS, SEM, and TEM
- Quantify key parameters such as polymer molecular weight, chain length, and grafting density
What You Will Gain
- Hands-on experience with oxygen- and moisture-free synthesis using Schlenk techniques
- Training in controlled radical polymerization (RAFT polymerization)
- Insights into grafting polymers from solid surfaces
- Familiarity with key analytical instruments: FTIR, NMR, GPC, TGA, DLS, SEM, TEM
- A deeper understanding of polymer chemistry
- Guidance on data analysis and scientific presentation skills
Who Are We Looking For?
- A highly motivated and diligent master’s student
- With solid basic skills in chemical synthesis
- Background in chemistry, preferably with some knowledge of polymer chemistry
If you’re interested in contributing to cutting-edge materials research and developing a broad set of experimental skills, please directly contact Ruiguang Cui (ruiguang.cui@fau.de).
References:
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2021, 118 (52). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113394118.
ACS Omega 2017, 2 (7), 3399-3405. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.7b00367
Starting time: Available now
Characterization of silane surface coverage with the Particle charge detector
Bachelor’s thesis or mini project
Supervisor: Maret Ickler
Silica (SiO₂) particles naturally exhibit a negatively charged surface due to the presence of surface hydroxyl (–OH) groups. When these surfaces are functionalized with silane molecules, the –OH groups are converted into covalent bonds, reducing the overall surface charge. As a result, surface charge measurements could serve as an indicator of silane coverage on the particle surface.
In this project, we aim to evaluate whether our newly bought “Particle Charge Detector” (PCD), which quantifies the number of charged groups per unit area, can be used to assess silane surface coverage. To do so, silica particles will be functionalized in the lab varying the amount of silane molecules. The functionalized particles will then be analyzed using the PCD, and the results will be compared to conventional methods such as zeta potential measurements, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA),contact angle measurements and NMR spectroscopy. Goal of the thesis is to compare the results of the different measurement methods and to discuss the suitability of the PCD as new analysis tool for surface characterization.
This thesis offers hands-on experience in laboratory work and the opportunity to become familiar with several standard characterization techniques.