EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) PhD in Digital Metal with Rolls-Royce (Enhanced Stipend) Development of Advanced Barrier Coatings for Extreme Environments

Location: UK Other

Background

Applicants are invited to undertake a 4-year, enhanced stipend PhD studentship, within the Digital Metal CDT digitalmetal-cdt.ac.uk at the University of Nottingham. The Centre for Excellence in Coatings & Surface Eng at Nottingham www.nottingham.ac.uk/coatings is an international reference for all Thermal Barrier Coating activities. This PhD programme, in partnership with Rolls-Royce, will address key challenges for the next generation of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) for aero-engines.

The PhD Project

Advanced TBCs are used in critical aeroengine components (e.g., Ni superalloy turbine blades) to ensure a reliable and highly efficient operation. TBCs are crucial to ensure the safe and high-performance operation of such critical parts under extreme temperatures and pressures; however, external contaminants (e.g. Calcium Magnesium Alumina and Silicates -CMAS-) can infiltrate these coatings and accelerate their degradation.

Leveraging a fundamental understanding of material science, coatings technologies and advanced thermal spray deposition systems, this research explores the development of novel protective chemistries that can be deposited in situ to protect TBC systems. By combining advanced digital technologies to evaluate the degradation of the TBC and the nature of the environmental contaminants, the project will develop advanced protective coatings to mitigate damage to these TBCs. Moreover, this project will leverage advanced bespoke continuum robotic systems to demonstrate the feasibility of applying the proposed coatings can be deployed in-situ.

Ultimately, this work bridges the gap between the theory of advanced material science and the challenges of implementation in an industrial environment. This research contributes to advance the fundamental understanding of novel protective coating systems, laying the groundwork for advanced unique intelligent coatings systems able to be customised based on the external contaminants, thus helping ensure the sustainability of the aerospace industry. The coatings will be manufactured using plasma spray and mini-combustion flame spray and examined in SEM/EBSD and tested in a burner rig and furnace thermal cycling.

As a part of a CDT cohort, you will have access to tailored courses, mentoring, career support and conference opportunities.

Qualification:

The candidate must have at least an equivalent of a UK MEng 2.1 class degree in materials/mechanical/ manufacturing/chemistry or any related discipline with at least 70 % in the project element. This is an experimental research project based at the University of Nottingham.

Funding:

The PhD studentship will cover (1) Tuition fees at UK rates (2)  A tax-free stipend of up to £26,780 per annum (3) £4,000 Research training support grant.

Applications, with a detailed CV and a cover letter, together with the names and addresses of two referees, should be sent directly to Prof. Tanvir Hussain (tanvir.hussain@nottingham.ac.uk).

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