PhD Studentship in Thermal Treatment of UK Radioactive Wastes: From Underpinning Science to a Disposability Toolbox

Sheffield Hallam University is offering this challenging and exciting PhD project in UK radioactive waste immobilisation, which is fully funded for UK students by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The project is also supported by a consortium of industrial partners from across the nuclear industry, and also partner Universities in the USA.

Thermal treatment is a leading technology to destroy hazards, minimise volumes and immobilise radionuclide-contaminated wastes. This project will help generate new understanding of composition-structure-property relations, chemical durability and friability of thermally-treated contaminated wastes. The project will also develop a “Disposability Toolbox” framework to map physical, chemical and radiological compositions of representative contaminated wastes onto different thermal treatment technologies and processing parameters. The student will learn fundamental glass and ceramic science and technology, and radioactive and non-radioactive waste thermal treatment, applying this knowledge through a comprehensive literature review; desk-based glass, ceramic and slag formulation work; lab-scale thermal treatment; detailed spectroscopic, mechanical and chemical analysis of representative product materials; liaison, secondments and / or site visits with the project partners. Multiple analytical and spectroscopic techniques and property testing techniques will be applied to generate a detailed, fundamental understanding of thermally-treated contaminated wasteforms.

The student will join a cohort of other PhD students studying aligned topics in radioactive waste immobilisation and in glass and ceramic science. In addition to hands-on training and support from the supervisory team this cohort will learn from other UK, US and international researchers working on radioactive waste vitrification and thermal treatment. It is our intention that the student will spend up to 3 months on aggregate at UK industrial partner sites including nuclear site / facility visits; and up to a further 2 months at our US partner Universities. The student will be given access to professional development, media training and public engagement access through schools outreach, Science Week and undergraduate teaching and professional qualification opportunities, and will be enrolled on at least one International Congress on Glass International School; the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Association) Summer School; or an equivalent alternative residential school.

Eligibility

• All applicants should hold a strong undergraduate degree (2.1 or above) and/or a relevant masters qualification (or expectation of the same) in an appropriate discipline
• International students must provide evidence that they meet the minimum IELTS score of 7.0 or above, with at least 6.5 in each component or equivalent (dated within last 2 years).

How to apply

We recommend that you contact Prof. Paul A. Bingham, email p.a.bingham@shu.ac.uk, to discuss your application.

Start date for studentship: October 2023

Interviews are scheduled for: April 2023; date and time to be confirmed.

For information on how to apply please see: www.shu.ac.uk/courses/engineering/phd-materials-science-and-engineering/full-time/2022

Your application and an up-to-date copy of your CV should be submitted by the closing date of 31^st March 2023.

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