Modelling gas uptake in shale and coal

Supervised by Dr Richard Wheatley

This project is based at the University of Nottingham in the School of Chemistry, and the student will also be co-supervised by Dr Richard Graham (School of Mathematical Sciences) and Prof Matthew Hall (GeoEnergy Research Centre).

The tendency of methane and other hydrocarbons to adsorb on the surface of pores in shale and coal affects the amount of natural gas that can be extracted as fuel. The adsorption of carbon dioxide is important in predicting the efficiency and stability of carbon sequestration. Applications such as these have led to a growing interest in measuring and modelling the interactions between gases and pores in rocks and minerals.

This studentship will involve molecular modelling of the gas uptake process. Information at the molecular scale is not readily available from experiments, and molecular modelling has the potential to add significantly to our knowledge of this process by considering, for example, competitive adsorption between different gases and water, the role of different adsorption sites, and the role played by the structure of the pore network.

The work will take place within the School of Chemistry, which has an ongoing collaboration with the School of Mathematical Sciences and with the GERC, which is a joint venture between the British Geological Survey and the University of Nottingham. This will ensure that state-of-the-art experimental and modelling methods will be available within the research team.

Summary: UK/EU students - Tuition Fees paid, and full Stipend at the RCUK rate, which is £14,296 per annum for 2016/17. There will also be some support available for you to claim for limited conference attendance. The scholarship length will be 3 or 3.5 years, depending on the qualifications and training needs of the successful applicant.

Eligibility/Entry Requirements: We require an enthusiastic graduate with a 1st class degree in a relevant discipline such as Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physics or Mathematics, preferably at MSc/MRes level, or an equivalent overseas degree (in exceptional circumstances a 2:1 class degree can be considered). Computer programming skills would be a useful asset.