Engineering / Energy Innovation: Fully Funded PhD Scholarship: Developing high-value nanoscale carbon materials from waste

This scholarship is funded by Swansea University, EPSRC and Trimtabs Ltd.

Start date: October 2020

Subject areas: Engineering, Chemistry, Nanotechnology

Project description: This PhD position is in Dr Alvin Orbaek White’s research group at the Energy Safety Research Institute (ESRI). At ESRI the next-generation electricity transmission materials are being created for the future grid. The overarching research aims are to create a positive impact on the environment both locally and globally via a two-fold approach:

Create the next-generation energy infrastructure using carbon nanotube transmission cables
Capture and remove carbon-waste from the environment and use as a resource to produce carbon nanotubes
Waste plastic materials are being chemically recycled into electricity transmission wires (http://tiny.cc/Music-to-my-ears). Trimtabs Ltd, a local Swansea-based company, are keen to support research efforts to further expand into this sector to determine the boundary conditions for a wide range of waste materials, this would include (but not limited to) mixed plastics and rubber tyres. The student will learn about chemical recycling processes while also developing skills in synthesising nanomaterials. They will become highly skilled in the application of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), chemical vapour deposition (CVD), Raman spectroscopy and potentially electrochemistry. They will publish their work and present at local and/or international conferences.

Project supervisors: Dr Shirin Alexander. A second supervisor will be chosen accordingly.

Resources/facilities: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy with 5 laser lines.

Eligibility
Candidates should hold a minimum of an upper second class (2:1) honours degree (or its equivalent) in Chemical or Biochemical Engineering, or a related discipline, such as chemistry, biochemistry, physics, or other engineering or related discipline.

The ideal candidate should be willing to fail, to learn from failure and not be deterred.

We would normally expect the academic and English Language requirements (IELTS 6.5 overall with 5.5+ in each component) to be met by point of application. For details on the University’s English Language entry requirements, please visit – http://www.swansea.ac.uk/admissions/english-language-requirements/

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to UK/EU candidates only.