PhD in Fire-Resistant Wood Veneers — Tallinn University of Technology

Key details

• Host institution: Tallinn University of Technology
• Location: Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, Tallinn, Estonia
• Application deadline: June 30, 2026

Funding

Not funded by a EU programme

Funding level (from listing): partial or not via EU framework — confirm on the official call.

How to apply

• Application portal / instructions: Official application link.
• Context on Euraxess: Original listing.

About the position

PhD Position: Synergistic Effects of Densification and Fire Retardant Treatment on Wood Veneer Products

Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) invites applications for a 4-year PhD position focused on developing environmentally friendly, fire-resistant veneer-based products from underutilized wood species. This project applies green chemistry fire retardant pretreatments to wood veneers before densification, aiming to optimize the densification process and enhance durability and fire performance.

Research Objectives

The project addresses the following key questions:

• To what extent can fire performance be improved through densification without synthetic fire retardants?
• What are the environmental impacts and sustainability metrics of the proposed densification process?
• How do changes in microstructure and chemical composition correlate with performance improvements?
• What new sustainable fire-retardant chemicals can be used for densified veneers?

Key Research Areas

• Fire Retardant (FR) Mechanism: Investigate how specific FR formulations affect the pyrokinetics of densified wood, shifting degradation from volatilization to charring, including synergistic effects and leaching.
• Densification and Structural Performance: Examine wood microstructure, mechanical integrity, and bond quality.
• Application and Feasibility: Demonstrate performance of densified, fireproof underutilized wood species, expanding their potential through combined densification and fire resistance.

Responsibilities and Tasks

• Compile an analytical framework for experimental approaches to analyze green fire-retardant pretreatment methods before and after wood densification.
• Study and test low-temperature densification process technologies.
• Test and characterize structure, moisture resistance, dimensional stability, and surface properties.
• Study and characterize fire performance of densified wood suitable for veneer-based products.
• Write and publish scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and present at conferences.
• Contribute to organizing research and practitioner workshops to present project findings.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in wood technology, wood science, materials technology and science, wood chemistry, or forestry.
• Familiarity with methods, procedures, and safety in wood chemistry, wood technology, composite material technology, or materials technology and science, enabling independent work.
• Excellent written and spoken English communication skills.
• Clear interest in the topic of the position.
• Strong and demonstrable writing and analytical skills.
• Capacity to work both independently and as part of an international team.
• Willingness to assist with organizational tasks relevant to the project.
• Candidates must submit a research plan for the topic, including overall research and data collection strategy, and may expand on listed research questions and tasks, proposing theoretical lenses.

Beneficial Experience

• Previous experience in wood technology or materials technology and science.
• Experience with characterization methods such as surface roughness, contact angle measurement, tensile and flexural tests, and fire testing.
• Knowledge of durability and fire testing of materials.
• Knowledge of material structural characterization.
• Working knowledge of data analysis and statistics.
• Data visualization and analysis in R.

We Offer

• 4-year PhD position at one of Estonia’s largest, most internationalized engineering and technology research centers.
• Opportunities for conference visits, research stays, and networking with leading global universities and research centers in wood and composite materials technology and wood chemistry.

Supervisors

• Main Supervisor: Researcher Percy Festus Alao, Department of Materials and Environmental Technology, Laboratory of Wood Technology
• Co-Supervisor: Assistant Professor Heikko Kallakas, Department of Materials and Environmental Technology, Laboratory of Wood Technology

About the Institution

Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) is an international scientific community with approximately 9,000 students and 2,000 employees. It is one of the largest universities in Estonia, the leading EU country in digitalisation. The university offers broad multidisciplinary study and research opportunities, a modern research environment, and strong international collaboration. The Department of Materials and Environmental Technology is an interdisciplinary research center leading high-level, internationally recognized teaching, research, and development in materials and environmental technology in Estonia.

Application Period

Applications can be submitted from 01.06.2026 to 30.06.2026.

For information about the admission process, please visit the PhD Admission homepage (plain text: PhD Admission homepage).