Design, synthesize and formulate novel high efficacy environment friendly flame retardants for thermoplastic polymers

Nowadays, the manufacturing and living environment is advancing towards a higher focus on safety, for which the fire hazard is inevitably one of the major issues. Facilities, tools, products, and more essentially the build-block materials are thus required to be more flame retardant (FR). This regard is particularly important for bio-based polymers. Bio-based polymers have been widely used in several aspects of our daily life, yet their flame resistance performance is far below satisfaction and needed to be reinforced. So far, many FR fillers have been developed, including halogen-based FR, phosphorus (P)-based FR, nitrogen (N)-based FR, mineral-based FR, silicon (Si)-based FR, boron-based FR, two-dimensional nanomaterials, and their hybrids. In the market, there are also various trademarks. Currently, most of the commercial FR products are small molecules. The FR composites produced by compounding FRs into polymers have issue of small FR molecules leaching out from the matrix to the surface and then going to environment. This degrades the FR performance of the composites and pollutes the environment. 

This Ph.D. will seek a novel approach to develop the polymeric FRs which entangle with matrix chains, and active FRs which have strong chemical linkage with polymer matrix. The aim of this project is to design, synthesize and formulate novel high efficacy environment friendly “green” flame retardants (FRs), including polymeric FRs, bio-derived FRs and reactive FRs, for polyolefins/bio-based polymers.

Coventry University and A*STAR jointly offer a fully-funded PhD studentships to UK/EU and international students as part of the A*STAR Research Attachment Programme (ARAP).

Each studentship will include full fees: 

• full tuition fees
• a stipend for up to 4 years (£15500/year) subject to satisfactory progress
• It is essential that applicants have expertise and practical experience of chemistry preferably polymer chemistry. 
• The candidate must be able to demonstrate experience of safe working practises in a chemical laboratory. 
• Familiarity with lignin and bio polymers, chemical modifications and polymer materials characterisation would be beneficial.
• It would be advantageous if the applicant had knowledge of flame retardant materials.
• Good communication, presentation and writing skills. 
• Excellent team skills and able to work in a multi-cultural research group.
• Applicants with publications will be highly regarded.

Entry criteria for applicants to PHD 

• A minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average. 

PLUS 

• the potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within a 3.5 years
• Language proficiency (IELTS overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component).  
• All applications require full supporting documentation, CV, a covering letter, plus a 2000-word supporting statement showing how the applicant’s expertise and interests are relevant to the project. 

For further details see: https://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-students/making-an-application/