Development and Characterisation of Lignin-Derived Carbon Fibres

Applications are invited for a PhD studentship, available from 1 March 2017 in the ‘Fire Materials Research' team based at the Institute for Materials Research & Innovation (IMRI) at the University of Bolton. The team has recently been awarded a Horizon 2020 research grant, Lignin Based Carbon Fibres for Composites (LIBRE) by the European Commission. This project has a consortium of 11 members. The main aim of this project is to produce carbon fibres from lignin based products for use in carbon fibre-reinforced structural composites. Lignin will be extracted, purified, functionalised and melt spun into fibres to be carbonised into carbon fibres in this project. The purpose of this PhD is to assist in the optimisation and characterisation of lignin-derived carbon fibres .

Applicants should have a minimum 2.1 class undergraduate degree or a relevant Masters degree or equivalent experience in a relevant Physical Sciences/Engineering discipline. The studentship will demand an acceptable level of fibre spinning / polymer processing expertise within his/her qualification(s).

IMRI has a strong national and international reputation, and is supported by access to state-of-the-art infrastructure including materials processing and flammability testing facilities, textiles and composites laboratories, complemented by a suite of materials modelling capabilities.

The student will receive UK/EU tuition fees and a tax free bursary of at least £13,590 per annum for 3 year duration of the project. International applicants may apply but will be expected to pay the difference between the UK/EU and International Fee Rate.

Closing date for applications is 31 December 2016.

Application forms and further details are available via the following link:
http://www.bolton.ac.uk/Research/Prospective-Students/How-to-Apply.aspx

Candidates are asked to submit the application form, as well as a covering letter and a paper of approximately 1000 words describing your relevant experience and ideas regarding the research to be carried out. Please submit all of the above to Professor Baljinder Kandola via email: [Email Address Removed]

The University of Bolton strives to achieve equality of opportunity