Chemical Engineering: Fully Funded Swansea University and U-Hire PhD Scholarship: Efficient direct recycling of spent Li-ion batteries cathodes

Funding providers: Swansea University's Faculty of Science and Engineering and U-Hire Ltd.

Subject areas: Energy Storage, Green Recovery, Manufacturing processes.

Project start date: 

• 1 July 2022 (Enrolment open from mid-June)

Supervisors: 

• Professor Serena Margadonna
• Dr Zari Tehrani

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Chemical Engineering

Mode of study: Full-time

Project description:

The project aims at reducing or eliminating the dependency of battery manufacturing on critical materials and utilising recycled materials feedstocks. The research focuses on "direct recycling", which enables the recovery, regeneration, and reuse of electrode materials without breaking the chemical structure. The process allows the economic recovery of more materials than existing technologies and has the lowest cost and environmental impact.

We are looking for candidates to work in this exciting research area. The project will mainly focus on developing novel methodologies that allow (i) the liberation and separation of individual battery components and (ii) regeneration of liberated cathode via different chemical techniques, including solid-state and hydrothermal methods. The research is funded by industrial partners and tackles challenges that will contribute to the sustainability of the lithium-ion battery industry.

The successful candidate will join the energy storage research team at the Faculty of Science and Engineering and work in the cutting-edge battery research lab at Swansea University, Bay Campus.

To find out more about research at Swansea University in this area, go to:

• https://www.swansea.ac.uk/research
• https://www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/research

Eligibility

Candidates must normally hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Materials Engineering/ Chemistry/ Electrochemistry/ Chemical Engineering or a related field.

English Language requirements: If applicable – IELTS 6.5 overall (with at least 5.5 in each individual component) or Swansea recognised equivalent.

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA regulations.