PhD Studentship: Evaluating End of Life Strategies for Non Woven Industrial Filtration Felts

Research theme: Textiles

How to apply: https://uom.link/pgr-apply-2425

How many positions: 1

This 3.5 year PhD project is funded by The University of Manchester and an industrial partner and the project is open to home students; the successful candidate will receive an annual tax free stipend, set at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is 1st October 2025.

Industrial filtration felts are constructed using both mono-material and blended fibre systems to meet the mechanical, chemical, and thermal demands of diverse industrial processes. While mono-material felts offer simplified recyclability, blended fibre felts remain essential for applications requiring enhanced performance, such as high-temperature resistance, dimensional stability, or chemical compatibility. However, current research into circular design and end-of-life strategies often overlooks the unique recovery and regeneration challenges posed by these composite structures.

End-of-life industrial filtration felts are heavily contaminated with hazardous by-products, including heavy metals, biofilms, fats, solvents, dyes, and reactive particulates. These substances complicate regeneration efforts, limit recyclability, and introduce risks related to environmental release and occupational exposure. In sectors such as wastewater treatment, food and beverage processing, and chemical manufacturing, contaminants like PFAS, hydrocarbons, and metal ions accumulate in the felt structure, making traditional regeneration or disposal techniques both technically and environmentally inadequate.

This PhD research seeks to redress this imbalance by developing scientific strategies for the regeneration, selective disassembly, and material recovery of both mono-material and blended fibre felts. The project will explore depolymerisation using enzymatic and solvent-based approaches, assess mechanical and filtration performance post-regeneration, and quantify environmental trade-offs using ISO 14040/44-compliant lifecycle assessment frameworks. Guided by the principles of cradle-to-cradle design, disassemblable product architecture, and closed-loop polymer flows, the research will provide scalable insights applicable to energy-from-waste, metals refining, and other filtration-intensive sectors where disposal remains unsustainable.

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline.

To apply please contact the supervisor, Dr Jane Wood - jane.wood-2@manchester.ac.uk. Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.

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