Advanced Power Plants Steels: optimizing the composition and thermal history of the steel to improved creep strength and ductility

The Centre wishes to recruit a materials scientist or an engineer with a first or high 2.1 (above 65% grade mark average) honours degree for the project summarised below. The funding available restricts the project to Home and EU students only.

If you wish to apply, please send your CV and covering letter to the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Carbon Capture and Storage and Cleaner Fossil Energy: [Email Address Removed].

The performance of many advanced power plant steels is critically related to how fabrication and heat treatment influence the detailed microstructure. A significant body of research has been carried out to date but important questions remain regarding how the composition and thermal history of the steel can be optimized to improved creep strength and ductility. These will be key questions for the current project.

The research team will be able to define specific aspects for the experimental program based on review of the existing body of knowledge. Available to the project will be an extensive set of samples of power plant steels which have been exposed to a wide range of thermal treatments linked to original fabrication and simulated repair procedures. This comprehensive study will seek to examine and optimise repair and heat-treatment processes for these key materials which are widely used in advanced thermal power plant. As a part of this in-depth study, there are several as-tested weldments that contain subtle, yet distinct differences with respect to damage susceptibility. There are also feature test samples from specialist, long term creep tests, which will be available for detailed microstructural evaluation using advanced electron microscopy techniques within Loughborough University’s Loughborough Materials Characterisation Centre.

Applicants will need either a first class or upper second class honours degree in relevant subjects to include Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials. Physics, Geology and Maths.

The EngD training provides:
- An in-depth four-year training programme
- For those who satisfy the UK residency requirements, a minimum non-taxed stipend of up to £15,796.
- Approximately three years’ extensive research time in close collaboration with industry
- International travel budget