PhD Studentship: Next-Generation Functional Thin-Film Materials for Clean Energy and Net Zero Propulsion ENG281

This 3.5-year PhD studentship is open to Home (UK) applicants and EU students with settled status. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£20,780  for 2025/26; subject to annual uplift) plus home tuition fees will be paid.

We recommend that you apply early, as the advert will be removed once the position has been filled.

Do you want to be at the heart of the clean energy revolution? This PhD project gives you the chance to design and build the novel materials that could make hydrogen-powered aircraft, electric cars and renewable energy systems safer, more efficient and more powerful.

You will work on creating multilayer ceramic coatings made from aluminium nitride (AlN) and boron nitride (BN). These high-tech materials will be designed for two game-changing applications:

1. High-performance electrical insulation for next-generation electric machines and power electronics used in transport and energy systems.
2. Hydrogen permeation barrier coatings for nuclear fusion and hydrogen energy applications.

Using cutting-edge thin-film deposition and advanced microscopy, you will explore how nanoscale structures can transform performance in real-world applications. You will also benefit from direct collaboration with industry, gaining skills and insights that are highly valued across aerospace, automotive and energy sectors.

The University of Nottingham is the ideal place to carry out this research. You will join two internationally recognised groups – the Advanced Materials Research Group and the Hydrogen Group – and have access to world-class laboratories, industrial-scale deposition systems and unique characterisation facilities. With a strong track record in energy innovation and industry partnerships, the University of Nottingham provides the perfect environment to carry out high-impact research that can genuinely shape the UK’s Net Zero future.

This is your opportunity to create breakthrough materials for clean energy technologies and develop the expertise that top employers and research institutes are seeking.

The project is supervised by a strong interdisciplinary team: Dr Zakhar Kudrynskyi (advanced materials characterisation), Prof. Martin Dornheim (hydrogen energy systems), Prof. David Grant and Dr Timothy Cooper (thin-film deposition and coatings). Together they offer world-class expertise spanning energy, nanotechnology and applied materials science.

Applicants should hold a first-class (or equivalent) degree in a relevant engineering or science discipline (upper second class may be considered depending on the bachelor's/master's dissertation project. The candidate is expected to start the PhD on 1^st December 2025.

To apply, please contact the lead supervisor, Dr Zakhar Kudrynskyi - zakhar.kudrynskyi@nottingham.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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