Experimental Investigation of Enantiomer Separation Using Electrorotation
Master internship - Leuven | Just now
Most chiral separation techniques rely on chiral selectors, specialized stationary phases, or derivatization strategies. Recent studies suggest that chiral molecules exposed to rotating electric fields may exhibit different rotational and translational responses depending on their handedness. This opens the possibility of separating enantiomers using only electric fields, without the need for chemical selectors. The objective of this project is to generate preliminary results that could support this hypothesis.
The student will experimentally investigate whether rotating electric fields can induce measurable differences in the movement of selected enantiomers and whether these differences can be exploited for separation.
Tasks
- Review electrorotation and dielectrophoresis principles and existing approaches for chiral separation.
- Quantify rotational and translational responses as a function of different operating parameters.
- Demonstrate separation of target compounds.
Type of internship: Master internship
Duration: 6 month
Required educational background: Biomedical engineering, Bioscience Engineering, Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, Electromechanical engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Other
Supervising scientist(s): For further information or for application, please contact Camila Dalben Madeira Campos (Camila.DalbenMadeiraCampos@imec.be)
The reference code for this position is 2026-INT-238. Mention this reference code in your application.
Imec allowance will be provided for students studying at a non-Belgian university.
Applications should include the following information:
- resume
- motivation
- current study
Incomplete applications will not be considered.