PhD Studentship - Zinc Undercoating for Hydrogen Barrier Application

This 4-year PhD project is open to home student and fully funded; the successful candidate will receive a tax-free stipend based on the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025-25) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year.

This exciting 4-year PhD project investigates the feasibility of Zinc undercoatings as a permeation barrier for pipelines in hydrogen service environment. The effect of hydrogen gas on coating performance and the resulting corrosion behaviour will be assessed, supported by hydrogen permeation measurement using a novel diffusion cell set-up. The Zinc composition and exposed surface also plays an important part for optimising microstructure hydrogen interaction. In parallel, the main draw-back of using Zinc is the nature of the corrosion reaction when exposed to water, with the Zinc acting as the anode and hydrogen evolution potentially occurring at the steel surface.

The successful PhD candidate will work at the forefront of hydrogen materials research, with training in materials engineering, corrosion, and materials selection. You will become a specialist in the field of corrosion and hydrogen, opening up prospect for top-class employment & cutting edge job profiles. A successful implementation and completion of this PhD project will provide vital information for making a step change in our hydrogen economy, opening the door for making a lasting impact.

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; Prof Dirk Engelberg - dirk.engelberg@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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