Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

University of Southampton

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PhD Studentship: Self-adaptive low friction coatings

Prof Robert Wood Applications accepted all year round Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

Southampton United Kingdom

About the Project

The aim of the project will be the development of self-adaptive and self-lubricating thin films based on the transition metal dichalcogenides alloyed with elements or compounds. The coating should be capable to exhibit low friction and negligible wear in a wide range of contact conditions, such as vacuum, dry or lubricated sliding. The project will specifically investigate the transformation of the film nanostructure during the sliding process. The work will be experimental in nature but particular problems might be chosen for theoretical simulations. The experimental part will include coating deposition by magnetron sputtering, fundamental characterisation and tribological analyses using advanced surface characterisation techniques. The applicant will benefit from the multidisciplinary nature of the project and will be expected to participate in regular progress meetings and present results at international conferences.

There is NO additional funding to cover full overseas fees costs. It will not be possible to consider your application unless you can provide the additional funding from other sources to pay the fees difference (£12,388 for 2011/12).

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Prof Robert Wood, nCATS research group, Email: [Email Address Removed] , Tel: +44 (0) 2380 59 4881.

Funding Notes

There is NO additional funding to cover full overseas fees costs. It will not be possible to consider your application unless you can provide the additional funding from other sources to pay the fees difference (£12,388 for 2011/12).

Where will I study?

University of Southampton

Join one of the world’s leading universities. With over 150 years of history, we are a founding member of the Russell Group, and consistently placed in the top 100 universities in the world by the QS World University Rankings. 92 per cent of our research output was assessed in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) as being world-leading and internationally excellent, confirming our status as one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities. This international outlook and reputation attract staff from across the world, with over 25 per cent coming from outside the UK. Innovative thinking and pioneering research are at the heart of our culture; our people are finding solutions for some of the biggest challenges that our planet is facing, pursuing environmental sustainability, and making a difference to the world. We stand for exploration and curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, inventive education and cutting-edge facilities to catalyse change.

Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Make your mark at the leading edge of science and engineering research. At the University of Southampton’s Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, we’re studying stars as they explode, inscribing the human genome into crystals, shaping the future of human interaction with AI, helping build brighter liveable cities, and using chemistry for sustainable manufacturing. We’re looking for innovators, critical thinkers and curious minds to join us in driving new discoveries, with real opportunities for impact through our links with industry and governments and our enterprise initiatives. In return you’ll benefit from multi-million-pound research facilities, the expertise of leading specialists and a supportive, inclusive research community.

Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Why study at the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences?

96% of our research environment, which includes our facilities, resources and expertise, is rated world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021), placing us in a globally competitive position.

Fully funded programmes available in defence and security, sustainability and quantum engineering – offered through our specialist Centres for Doctoral Training.

Advance your entrepreneurial ambitions through Future Worlds, our on-campus accelerator.

Work with highly regarded researchers, including 36 Fellows of the UK’s prestigious Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Make a difference in a faculty that focuses on real-world change, recognised by three Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education – the highest UK state honours for excellence, innovation and impact.

Over 800

postgraduate students

202

PhDs

Over 96%

of our research is rated either world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021)

Southampton United Kingdom

main campus

About the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

The Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences is home to around 40% of the University of Southampton’s postgraduate researchers, putting you at the heart of a dynamic, diverse research environment. Here you’ll join a community of brilliant minds who are finding solutions to global problems across engineering, chemistry, physics, photonics and computer science.

You’ll have access to the exceptional facilities you’d expect from a leading research university, such as the UK’s largest university towing tank, high-voltage testing labs, cleanrooms for nanofabrication, advanced imaging and prototyping facilities and instrumentation for spectroscopy, electrochemistry and sustainable materials.

With funded programmes, scholarships and opportunities to work flexibly, we’re committed to breaking down barriers to postgraduate research. For example, we host or partner in several UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) specialist Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) that offer fully funded opportunities in collaboration with industry:

If entrepreneurship is your route to real-world impact, our on-campus business accelerator Future Worlds offers mentoring, funding advice and access to global investor networks. You’ll be immersed in a strong enterprise culture – the University tops the world rankings for business incubation, with 26 spin-outs and over 199 patents in the last three years.

Opportunities for skills development, such as teaching, demonstrating and public engagement, are embedded into your PhD journey. You can also choose from over 400 workshops each year to build a professional development programme tailored to your career ambitions.

Funded PhD programmes in related subject areas

Student life at the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Take your place in a vibrant, inclusive research community where you’ll get all the support you need to thrive.

Welcome events, mentoring schemes, talks and regular informal coffee sessions will help you settle in and make connections, while the University’s Doctoral College brings the wider postgraduate research community together to share ideas and celebrate successes. Its activities include poster exhibitions and a Three Minute Thesis competition – won in 2025 by one of our second-year Electronics and Computer Science researchers, who went through to the UK semi-finals.

We are committed to fostering an environment where research excellence and inclusion go hand in hand, through initiatives such as the Race Equality Charter, Athena Swan recognition and Black Futures Scholarships. Postgraduate networks, including a parents’ and carers’ network and LGBTQ+ groups, create a space for people with shared interests or priorities. There are also comprehensive wellbeing, disability and inclusion services to provide any additional support you might need.

Depending on your field of research, you’ll likely be based at Highfield Campus, which blends a traditional academic setting with modern facilities, or the University’s newest campus at nearby Boldrewood. Both campuses are home to world-class research and testing facilities.

From either location, you’ll be able to enjoy all that Southampton has to offer. A friendly, walkable city with a mix of cultural venues, green spaces, coastal walks and a mild climate, it’s a great place for postgraduate life.

Subjects available at Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Acoustics

Acoustics Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Analytical Chemistry

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Architecture

Artificial Intelligence

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Cybernetics

Data Analysis

Data Science

Dynamics

Electrical Engineering

Electromagnetism

Electronic Engineering

Energy Technologies

Engineering Mathematics

Environmental Chemistry

Environmental Engineering

Environmental Physics

Experimental Physics

Fluid Mechanics

Gas Engineering

Geotechnical Engineering

Human Computer Interaction

Immunology

Industrial Chemistry

Inorganic Chemistry

Integrated Engineering

Internet Of Things

Machine Learning

Manufacturing Engineering

Marine Engineering

Marine Sciences

Mathematical Modelling

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanics

Mechatronics

Medical Physics

Medical Statistics

Meteorology

Microbiology

Nanotechnology

Networks

Neuroscience

Nuclear Physics

Offshore Engineering

Operational Research

Optical Physics

Organic Chemistry

Computer Science

Physics

Materials Science

Medicine

Engineering

Architecture, Building & Planning

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Environmental Sciences

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Probability

Pure Mathematics

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Quantum Mechanics

Robotics

Software Engineering

Soil Science

Solid Mechanics

Solid State Physics

Space Science

Statistics

Structural Biology

Structural Chemistry

Structural Engineering

Structural Mechanics

Synthetic Chemistry

Systems Engineering

Theoretical Physics

Thermodynamics

Urban Planning

Zoology

Search all PhDs

Frequently asked questions

When can I start my studies?

Our standard start dates are September, January, April, and June, with most postgraduate researchers starting in September. If you hold a student visa and are currently studying for an MSc in the UK, the September start date may not be available to you.

What other PhD funding opportunities are available?

Our ‘competition-funded’ projects are eligible to apply to other funding schemes. Some of these may cover the difference between overseas and UK tuition fees, and others will support your tuition fees and/or provide an annual stipend. Horizon Europe fee waivers are automatically applied for all eligible postgraduate researchers starting their programme in the 2026/27 academic year. The waiver covers the difference between overseas and UK tuition fees, and you can combine this waiver with other funding sources. Visit our website for a list of eligible countries. You may qualify for one of our postgraduate scholarships or fee waivers that cover tuition fees and more. Search for your topic area and check the ‘Funding and fees’ page for more information about our schools’ funding arrangements. Many of those projects are funded through the EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award.

How do I find a PhD supervisor?

Each project listing has an assigned supervisor; you’ll find their contact details in the listing. You are not limited to the listed projects – if you have a research idea of your own, you can search for a possible supervisor or make an enquiry.

What is a fully funded research project?

Projects advertised as ‘fully funded’ will cover your tuition fees and provide a tax-free annual stipend to support your living costs. UK Research and Innovation has set the minimum stipend at £20,780 (for full-time students).

These opportunities are highly competitive and often come with specific eligibility requirements, so it’s important to check the funding information for the project before applying.

What are the entry requirements for postgraduate researchers?

Our programmes typically require a minimum of an upper second-class (2:1) honours undergraduate degree (or equivalent), or a master’s-level qualification, in a relevant subject. Evidence of prior professional practice or learning may also be taken into account. Our funded programmes are highly competitive and normally require at least a first-class honours degree (or equivalent).

Main campus

University of Southampton

Southampton

South East

United Kingdom

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Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

This project is no longer listed on FindAPhD.com and may not be available.

PhD Studentship: Self-adaptive low friction coatings

About the Project

Funding Notes