Introduction:

Spacecraft are exposed to extreme conditions, characterised by strong thermal variations and the risk of frost or ice formation, which can damage instruments and compromise both performance and safety. Current solutions, whether active systems or specialised coatings, often present limitations in terms of mass, energy consumption and durability.

Objectives:

Inspired by strategies developed by living organisms, this research explores biomimicry as a lever for designing new functional surfaces adapted to space applications. These surfaces aim to combine resistance, durability and high performance in extreme environments, as highlighted by CEEBIOS in its “Biomimicry - Opportunity Study for the Space Sector.” The CNES has identified biomimicry as a major source of innovative solutions to address emerging challenges in space exploration.

This project proposes a bio-inspired technological approach to material architecture, where surface chemistry and hierarchical structuring are combined to reproduce natural functions under cryogenic conditions. Concretely, the work will implement multi-scale patterning processes to generate a new generation of multifunctional, superhydrophobic and anti-icing surfaces.

Supervision and Project Structure:

The multidisciplinary nature of this PhD relies on the complementary expertise between the design and fabrication of bio-inspired surfaces (LMI-UMR-5615) and their analysis and validation under representative environmental conditions (LTDS-UMR-5513), all aligned with CNES objectives.

This collaboration between two CNRS laboratories will enable both fundamental and applied research with strong industrial transfer potential.
 At CNES, Delphine Faye, Contamination Expert, and Marie Jacquesson, Head of the Thermal Structures and Materials Department, will supervise the project. Their respective expertise in satellites and launchers will guide the identification and validation of potential applications in both domains. 

Methodology:

Within this PhD, mastering multi-scale structuring is essential to simultaneously achieve superhydrophobicity and frost resistance. While superhydrophobic and anti-icing surfaces are known, their mechanical and chemical stability remains a major challenge for space applications.

To overcome these limitations, this project combines “bottom-up” soft-chemistry processes, notably the sol-gel method and Evaporation-Induced Self-Assembly (EISA), with bio-inspired design principles.

The sol-gel process provides high flexibility through the choice of precursors (metal alkoxides, organoalkoxysilanes, etc.), enabling the tuning of optical, mechanical or chemical properties and the production of pure, mixed or hybrid oxides with enhanced versatility. EISA complements this by creating ordered mesoporous networks: these nanometric patterns stabilise the Cassie-Baxter state (where droplets rest on air pockets) responsible for superhydrophobicity and reduce ice nucleation. Combined with microstructuring techniques, EISA enables the fabrication of hierarchical architectures similar to those observed in nature.

The anti-icing function will be approached from two complementary perspectives:

- Delaying nucleation and reducing ice adhesion through superhydrophobicity.

- Promoting directional drainage of condensed water, inspired by natural fog collectors.

A key challenge will be ensuring mechanical and environmental robustness. Pure sol-gel films can be brittle and prone to cracking due to dimensional changes during ceramisation. Strategies such as incorporating hard nanoparticles, creating hybrid organic-inorganic layers or applying post-densification treatments will be explored.

These approaches build upon recent studies: Mishchenko (2013) demonstrated that local chemical modulation controls condensation and freezing. Shneidman (2024) showed the potential of colloidal self-assembly for hierarchical structuring. Daniel and Aizenberg (2018) emphasised that contact line dynamics are as critical as surface roughness in determining frost resistance.

Conclusion and Perspectives:

In alignment with CNES’s low-carbon innovation goals, this project leverages soft-chemistry processes such as sol-gel and EISA to create controlled nano/micro-structured surfaces without the use of persistent fluorinated compounds. The thesis aims to develop passive, lightweight and maintenance-free coatings that reduce onboard energy consumption. These processes provide new pathways for the space sector, for both orbital systems and launchers, creating new opportunities for collaboration between the two domains. By enabling the design of hierarchical, multifunctional and scalable materials, the project offers strong potential for industrial transfer toward large-area, REACH-compliant coatings.

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For more Information about the topics and the co-financial partner (found by the lab!); contact Directeur de thèse - berangere.toury-pierre@univ-lyon1.fr

Then, prepare a resume, a recent transcript and a reference letter from your M2 supervisor/ engineering school director and you will be ready to apply online before March 13th, 2026 Midnight Paris time!

Master 2 biomatériaux et biomimétisme