PhD Studentship: Absorption of Gases in Nano-Confined Liquids Studied by Total Neutron Scattering

The 3.5 year project is co-funded by ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Home students can apply for the project. The funding will pay for tuition fees and provide a tax free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£18,622 for 2023/24). This funding is for UK students only.

Advances in gas capture and storage research directly contribute to lowering the impact of industrial chemical processes on climate change and enable the move towards Net Zero goals.

The main aim of this project is to investigate the phenomenon occurring in the new class of gas sorbents, i.e. hybrid sorbents that consist of porous solid materials filled with liquid solvents. Some experimental studies suggest that the amount of gas (e.g. CO2 or H2) that can be absorbed in such systems can be even 40 times higher than in bulk solvent and 20 times higher than in bare porous material. In order to design the hybrid systems with maximum sorption capacities for specific gases, it is important to build a robust understanding of the enhanced absorption phenomenon. This project aims to address this via broad absorption studies as well as total neutron scattering investigations of pre-selected systems differing by solvent, porous material surface chemistry and gas.

This project has two parallel tracks – scientific and engineering. The scientific focus will be on: (i) synthesis and characterisation of mesoporous absorbents, testing sorption capabilities of selected hybrid systems and setting optimal sorption conditions; and (ii) total neutron scattering experiments on selected hybrid sorbents. The engineering aspect of the project includes the design, construction, and testing of a new in vacuum infra-red thermal camera/sensor for a neutron scattering beamline that enables task (ii).

This multidisciplinary project will be conducted at The University of Manchester and at ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Firstly, the experimental work on the absorption as well as calibration of the infra-red camera for different types of materials used for neutron sample containers will be undertaken at UoM. Later, the commissioning of the camera at the beamline at ISIS will be conducted.

The project will be undertaken under the supervision of Dr Marta Falkowska and Prof. Chris Hardacre within Catalysis and Porous Materials Group in the Department of Chemical Engineering (UoM) with a co-supervision by Dr Terri-Louise Hughes within the Disordered Materials (ISIS). The successful PhD student will be encouraged to interact with the Disordered Materials Group at ISIS and will be required to spend some time at the ISIS facility for the commissioning of the infra-red camera and beamtime experiments.

The successful candidate will receive trainings on a collection of state-of-the-art diffraction and spectroscopy techniques, as well as on data analysis software. The PhD student will be encouraged to attend summer schools on e.g. Absorption (University of Strathclyde), Neutron Scattering Techniques (ISIS) and Catalysis (University of Liverpool), and to regularly present their results at national and international meetings.

The applicants should have, or be expecting to achieve, a first or upper second-class Honours degree or equivalent in the subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering or related subject with an interest in catalysis and/or advanced characterization methods.

If you wish to apply, please contact the supervisors, Dr Marta  Falkowsk, Prof Hardacre and Dr Terri-Louise Hughes: marta.falkowska@manchester.ac.uk c.hardacre@manchestr.ac.uk terri-louise.hughes@stfc.ac.uk

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