plastic PhD Projects, Programs & Scholarships

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

A PhD project is available to transform plastic waste into devices for water purification. The successful applicant will work closely together with a collaborative network of researchers designing next-generation filters to remove organic, inorganic and metallic toxicants and pollutants from various waste water streams.

Using psychology to tackle the problem of waste plastic

University of Sheffield
Department of Psychology

Dr T Webb, Dr C Wood

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Waste plastic can have a devastating effect on the environment, threatening the biodiversity of our oceans and introducing micro-plastics into the food chain.

Ecological impacts of microplastic pollution in freshwater habitats

Anglia Ruskin University
Faculty of Science & Engineering

Research Group: Applied Ecology Research Group (AERG)

Dr D Green, Dr T Ings

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Research Group. Applied Ecology Research Group (AERG) - https://www.anglia.ac.uk/science-and-engineering/research/institutes-and-groups/applied-ecology.

3D Print and Additive Manufacturing of Wax and Plastic Injection Moulds.

Loughborough University
Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering

Dr E Sabet

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

This project offers a chance to work on a truly disruptive and innovative research project in the high-tech and high-value manufacturing, with very high potential impact in aerospace and energy sectors.

Developing ecological solutions to plastic pollution (COLEUPML20ARIES)

University of East Anglia
School of Environmental Sciences

Dr M Cole, Dr T Tolhurst

Application Deadline: 7 January 2020

Funding Type

PhD Type

Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities.

SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND. Microplastic debris is a prolific environmental contaminant, impacting on marine ecosystems across the globe.

PhD Studentship in Rapid Ionic-liquid Screening for Enhanced Recycling Screening (RISERS)

Imperial College London
Department of Chemistry

Dr A Brandt-Talbot, Prof P Fennell

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project has funding attached for UK and EU students, though the amount may depend on your nationality. Non-EU students may still be able to apply for the project provided they can find separate funding. You should check the project and department details for more information.

We are inviting applications of motivated candidates for a PhD studentship in the exciting global challenge of ‘Advanced plastic recycling’.

Modelling and Simulation of Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste Plastic

University of Sheffield
Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering

Prof M Wang

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Biomass is generally viewed as a CO2 neutral energy source. Biomass pyrolysis and gasification can produce syngas. The process conditions of pyrolysis can alter the proportions of gas, solid and liquid products.

Biodegradable plastic composites from renewable or waste sources

University of Strathclyde
Department of Chemical and Process Engineering

Dr K Johnston, Dr L Lue

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

To reduce the amount of plastic waste in the marine environment, there is a strong incentive to switch to biodegradable polymers, which are ideally synthesised from renewable or waste streams, rather than from oil.

Microplastics as conduits of flame retardants in birds feeding on landfills

University of Birmingham
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Dr M Abdallah, Dr S J Reynolds

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

There is increasing evidence of widespread ingestion of plastics by birds, mistaking it for food, during foraging. The demonstrated eﬀects of plastic ingestion by birds include.

Redefining Single Use Plastics: Life Cycle Analysis

University of Sheffield
Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering

Dr RH Rothman, Prof P Styring

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

There is currently > 7.3 billion tons of plastic in the Earth System, rising to 40 Bt by 2050. ~10 Mt of plastics reach the oceans every year; 12 Bt are projected to be in landfill by 2050.