Two PhD Studentships

Duration: 42 months 

Supervisors: Dr Stella Pedrazzini

Funding: Tuition fees at the home rate plus a stipend of £19,668 per annum 

        1. Molten Glass Corrosion of cobalt-based superalloys – a grain boundary study

Glass fibres for insulation are spun with a spindle made of cobalt-based superalloys. Molten glass is highly corrosive and will eventually wear through the spindle. This project involves building a set-up for molten glass corrosion experiments at Imperial College and testing the effect of grain boundary morphology and precipitation (carbides, borides) on the Corrosion rate of the alloy.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and self-motivated person who meets the academic requirements for enrolment for the PhD degree at Imperial College London. You need to have a background in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering, Materials, Chemistry or a related field, and an enquiring and rigorous approach to research together with a strong intellect and disciplined work habits. Training will be given in the relevant investigative techniques. You will become a skilled communicator, comfortable in an international situation. Good team-working, observational and communication skills are essential. The project will involve close collaboration with an industrial partner. 

       2. PhD Studentship in New Approaches to Understanding Hydrogen Embrittlement of Steels

Duration: 48 months from October 2023. The position is available immediately and will stay open until filled.

Supervisors: Dr Stella Pedrazzini, Dr Martin Trustler,  Prof Mary Ryan, 

Funding: Shell POC: Stephen Brown. Tuition fees at the home rate plus a stipend of £19,668 per annum

Applications are invited for a research studentship in the field of hydrogen embrittlement of steels, leading to the award of a PhD degree. The post is supported by a bursary and fees (at the UK student rate only) and is sponsored by EPSRC and Shell. EPSRC candidates should fulfil the eligibility criteria for the award. Please check your suitability at the following website: https://www.ukri.org/what-we-offer/developing-people-and-skills/esrc/funding-for-postgraduate-training-and-development/eligibility-for-studentship-funding/

Project Summary: A PhD studentship is available to study hydrogen embrittlement in steels to tackle the unique challenges associated with the decarbonisation of the energy sector. The aim of the first project is to develop a fundamental understanding of hydrogen embrittlement in steels, using a variety of characterisation techniques including cryogenic Focussed Ion Beam (FIB) and Atom Probe Tomography (APT).

The anticipated major expansion in hydrogen production, transportation and utilisation call for massive investments in infrastructure. One of the biggest challenges of the hydrogen economy is storage and transport. Current hydrogen storage technology involves either physical storage systems such as pressurised canisters (typically made from steel, which may be embrittled by the cryogenic temperatures and hydrogen exposures- or the synergistic effects of both) or materials such as hydrides which can store hydrogen in a reacted form, that will then need to be extracted. Hydrogen embrittlement in steel at cryogenic temperatures is poorly understood – and lack of mechanistic insights means that material selection or bespoke alloy development remains challenging. Steels that are resistant to embrittlement at room temperature are certainly available but tend to be expensive, and their behaviour under cryogenic temperatures has not been well-explored. An improved fundamental understanding of the processes of hydrogen dissolution in the metal, and the role of microstructural features that act as hydrogen trap sites, will assist in screening steels for hydrogen service. This iCASE project will therefore focus on the experimental investigation of hydrogen dissolution, diffusion and distribution in different steels – with the steels studied and characterized under cryo-conditions. Using new experimental facilities at Imperial, we have a chance to create a step-change in the understanding of the properties. The experimental work will be supported by numerical modelling, leading to a workflow for characterising candidate steels for hydrogen service

This PhD project is sponsored by the EPSRC and Shell based in the Materials and Chemical Engineering Departments, Imperial College London. We are looking for an enthusiastic and self-motivated person who meets the academic requirements for enrolment for the PhD degree at Imperial College London. You need to have a background in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering, Materials, Chemistry or a related field, and an enquiring and rigorous approach to research together with a strong intellect and disciplined work habits. Training will be given in the relevant investigative techniques. You will become a skilled communicator, comfortable in an international situation. Good team-working, observational and communication skills are essential. The project will involve close collaboration with Shell and you will be expected to visit and communicate with various Shell Technology Centres.

To find out more about research at Imperial College London in this area, go to: Home - Dr Stella Pedrazzini (imperial.ac.uk) 

Closing Date: 31 May 2023

For questions regarding the admissions process, please contact Dr. Annalisa Neri. Formal applications can be completed online: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/how-to-apply/apply-for-a-research-programme-/ but only after informal enquiries information about the Department can be found at http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/materials.

Advert information