PhD Scholarship project: Chemical recycling and upcycling of PET
Not stated
- Location
- London, United Kingdom
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
- Application deadline
- Year-round applications
About the project
About the Project This PhD project will tackle the chemical recycling and upcycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), one of the most pressing challenges in the circular economy. The project will convert PET waste streams into monomers and higher-value chemical building blocks through catalytic depolymerisation routes, including glycolysis, methanolysis, and hydrolysis. You will design and characterise catalysts, elucidate reaction mechanisms, and translate laboratory findings into scalable processes, working alongside our established programmes in lignocellulose biorefining and plastics recycling. The ultimate goal is to establish robust, energy-efficient pathways that displace virgin PET production and divert plastic waste from landfill and incineration. We are particularly interested in candidates who enjoy tackling challenging chemical and engineering problems, conducting careful experimentation, and engaging in interdisciplinary research at the interface of chemistry and engineering. This scholarship is open to all applicants regardless of their fee status. It covers both tuition fees and a tax-free contribution to maintenance costs of £25,000 per annum for 42 months. The Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London offers an advanced 3-4-year research degree that provides in-depth specialist training and knowledge in a topical area pertaining to Chemical Engineering and related Engineering and Science disciplines. The Department has state-of-the-art experimental and computational facilities and is the home of the Automated high-throughput platform suite , the Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering and the Sustainable Futures Lab . The Department holds a Silver Athena Swan award for good practice in supporting academic women and gender equality renewed in 2024. This award recognises the good practices already in place for supporting women at all stages as well as our commitment to removing barriers to equal progress and achievement. Deadline: 31 October 2026 for the first selection round 31 December 2026 for the second selection round 28 February 2027 for the third selection round (subject to availability of scholarships) In order to be considered for the Chemical Engineering PhD Scholarships, you will need to submit your PhD application for admission through the online admissions system . Full details on the application and selection process can be found on our webpages . We encourage all interested applicants to contact Prof Rinaldi at r.rinaldi1@imperial.ac.uk before making an application.