PhD Studentship: Biodegradable plastic training cartridges: The future of sustainable training

Start date 

05/10/2026

Studentship funding

Sponsored by A European Manufacturing Company, a student stipend will £21, 805 per year plus fee for three years

Eligibility

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Duration *:  3 years

1^st Supervisor: Professor Tracey Temple

2^nd Supervisor: Professor Krzysztof Koziol

3^rd Supervisor: Professor Frederic Coulon

Opportunity Reference No: CRAN-0078

A PhD in biodegradable plastic military training cartridges. Sponsored by a leading an ammunition manufacturing company in Norway. The PhD is fully funded with a travel and consumable budget. There will be time spent in Norway to test materials etc.

Microplastic pollution has become a major global concern, leading to increasingly strict regulations on the use of plastics. This challenge is particularly significant for training ammunition, where fired cartridge cases and projectiles are dispersed into the environment. Conventional plastics can persist for centuries, contributing to long-term ecological contamination. The student undertaking this project should be knowledgeable of a wide range of biodegradable materials that can with stand explosive heat and dispersion.

A scientific down selection of suitable materials that will be appropriate for the firing of military training ammunition but will also be a sustainable product that biodegrades in the environment, which does not leave hazardous bi-products.

There will be the opportunity to visit and work with the leading ammunition manufacturing company in Norway for several weeks at a time.

Working closely with both the manufacturing company and Cranfield University, the student will engage with industry experts in ammunition production as well as academics specialising in materials and environmental science, gaining a broad range of valuable and transferable skills.

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold a first or second call UK honours degree in material science or engineering. An advantage be with a military background or an understanding.

Funding

To be eligible for this funding, applicants must be classified as a Home fee status student.

How to apply

For further information please contact:
Name: Professor Tracey Temple
Email: t.temple@cranfield.ac.uk

If you are eligible to apply for this studentship, please click the 'Apply' button above. 

Keywords: novel materials, ballistic materials, biodegradable, sustainable materials, environment, military

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