PhD Studentship: Material Science and Engineering: The development of a new industrial metallic coating for construction and solar applications

Metallic coatings are vital for extending the life of steel structures and products. Zinc based coatings provide both a physical barrier to the environment and sacrificial protection when steel becomes exposed. In recent years, zinc coatings alloyed with aluminium and magnesium have found increased use across the construction and automotive sectors, with much of the growth in demand due to reported enhancements in corrosion resistance.

This project is partnered with a steel company. This PhD will design, make and characterise a Zinc Aluminium Magnesium coating for the company partner that is galvanic to the steel, can be produced on existing lines and offer comparable performance to other coatings on the market. It will involve lots of interaction with the company and visits to plant. The work will be carried out in Swansea University’s coatings and corrosion group, which has equipment and expertise in making and characterising these types of alloys.

The £1.5million Hot Dip Simulator will allow the PhD researcher to physically simulate a continuous galvanising line and to produce physical samples to further characterise and assess new alloy designs. It will be an exciting, applied and impactful project with opportunities to travel and meet industry partners. The researcher will use metallographic skills, electrochemistry and alloy design expertise to undertake this project and will be supported by supervisors, post-doctoral researchers and fellow PhDs, so you won’t be on your own.

Funding

Covers full tuition, £21,805 stipend (2026/27), plus up to £1,000 yearly for research costs.

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