Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project There is a drive towards developing new, safe and sustainable ingredients for use in consumer goods. Antimicrobial preservatives are centre front in the minds of consumers and regulatory bodies and present an opportunity for Engineering Biology to develop new solutions.
- Location
- Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 2 October 2026
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
Chemistry
Loughborough University
About the Project This project will involve synthetic organic chemistry to prepare novel nitrogen heterocyclic compounds based (including pyridones, cinnolines or quinoxalines) using nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) of fluoroarenes to allow rapid construction of small molecules of interest as drug candidates as antibiotics, anti-cancer agents or against Neglected Tropical Diseases.
- Location
- Loughborough, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 31 December 2026
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Chemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Developing sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels is one of the major challenges in modern chemistry. A promising approach is to convert renewable biomass into transportation fuels and value-added chemicals. This project aims to design and synthesise mesoporous zeolite catalysts capable of transforming sugars such as glucose and fructose into energy-rich intermediates like levulinic acid, a key building block for fuels, fine chemicals, and polymers.
- Location
- Sheffield, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Chemistry
University College London
About the Project Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a revolutionary technology that is disrupting healthcare by enabling the production of personalised medications on demand.
- Location
- London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Quantum technologies are poised to transform computing, communication, and sensing. At the heart of these advances lie novel quantum materials with precisely tailored properties. This PhD project will focus on the design, synthesis, and characterisation of one-dimensional graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as building blocks for next-generation quantum devices.
- Location
- Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Chemistry
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Flexible and conformable energy sources with high energy storage capabilities and fast charge/discharge rates are needed for applications such as wearables, robots, and electric vehicles. The power requirements for the operation of components in these devices are in different capacity ranges. The applications mentioned above require new features and designs that traditional energy storage technologies simply cannot provide.
- Location
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Chemistry
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Wearable electronic devices have sparked tremendous attention in recent years, owing to their wide range of possible applications, which include artificial organs, electronic skin, and healthcare monitoring, as well as soft robotics with arbitrary surface forms. Stretchability and multifunctional applications are critical for these devices.
- Location
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project A UK PhD studentship is available at the University of Birmingham with a tax-free stipend at the UKRI standard level. The project is co-funded by the Rolls-Royce Plc, co-supervised by Dr Joe Ward and Dr Kaid Mavrou.
- Location
- Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project A UK PhD studentship is available at the University of Birmingham with a tax-free stipend at the UKRI standard level. The project is co-funded by the Rolls-Royce Plc, co-supervised by Dr Chris Jones. About the project: Within a pressurised water reactor (PWR), zircaloy fuel cladding which contains all fuel pellets is exposed to high temperatures, stress and high radiation fluxes. Zircaloy degrades during service by forming oxides and embrittles.
- Location
- Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Thermoelectric materials offer the unique capability to convert waste heat directly into electrical energy. Efficiency is related to a figure of merit (ZT = S 2 sT/k), that is determined by the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity (s) and thermal conductivity (k). The inter-dependence of these three properties presents a formidable challenge in the design of high-performance materials.
- Location
- Reading, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only