PhD Scholarship project: Lignin valorisation for the circular economy
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 valorisation of lignin, the most abundant renewable source of aromatic carbon on Earth. Lignin is currently underused and largely burned for process heat; this project will convert it into well-defined aromatic and aliphatic building blocks through reductive catalytic fractionation, mechanocatalysis, and related depolymerisation strategies applied directly to lignocellulosic biomass. You will design and characterise heterogeneous catalysts, elucidate the structure and coupling chemistry of native and processed lignin, and translate laboratory findings into biorefinery processes that couple lignin upgrading with cellulose and hemicellulose utilisation. The ultimate goal is to establish efficient, scalable routes that convert lignin from a low-value by-product into a source of speciality chemicals and materials. 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.