Dr Tim Huber
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
Natural fibre reinforced biopolymers, or biocomposites, present an alternative, sustainable material choice for glass fibre reinforced polymers known for their severe ecological impact. A large barrier to market entry is the higher cost of biocomposites compared to conventional polymers and fibres. However, consumers show a growing awareness for sustainable design and materials and assign a higher value to those materials, potentially making biocomposites more competitive. This is a material-centred design project that aims to develop new products from natural fibres and biopolymers and analyse value perception of those products to find most suitable applications.
The project includes a detailed analysis of manufactured biocomposites to fully document the physio-chemical properties and biodegradation of the identified materials, finding suitable processing techniques for developed product prototypes and exploration of material perception in potential end users to identify pathways towards value addition in developed products, for example through enhanced sustainability, eco-friendliness, material texture and/or haptic design.
Composites will be developed from combinations of high strain regenerated cellulose fibres, natural fibres with high stiffness and strength (flax or hemp) and readily biodegradable, bio-based polymers to achieve novel high-performance yet fully biodegradable and sustainable materials. We will assess the aesthetic value of the created composites to document the pleasure attained from sensory perception. Through a combination of surveying and interviews, we will try to identify if end-user and consumers assign a higher value to the created materials and whether this correlates with a willingness to spend more money on products incorporating those materials.
The project combines engineering and material design, with formulation chemistry and aspects of user-centred design representing the cross- and multidisciplinary character of the School of Product Design at UC.
Interested applicants with a strong academic background and engineering degree, background knowledge of composites, biopolymers and/or material characterisation, and strong interest in product design and development, are encouraged to apply
Funding Notes
The project is fully funded through a SoPD PhD scholarship ($23,000 p.a. + tuition fee). The candidate must be able to support the SoPD in the form of teaching assistance, for which financial compensation will be offered in addition to the scholarship. To be eligible for a scholarship, an applicant must have met all of the requirements for enrolment in a doctoral degree at the University of Canterbury (https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/study/qualifications-and-courses/phds-and-doctoral-degrees/doctor-of-philosophy/).
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