| Qualifications |
Duration |
Start dates |
Application period |
PhD
(MPhil also available) |
Full time: 3–4 years
Part time: 6–8 years |
February and October |
January to April |
Qualifications
PhD (MPhil also available) |
Duration
Full time: 3–4 years
Part time: 6–8 years |
Start dates
February and October |
Application period
January to April |
The OU Materials Engineering Group research into Energy materials falls into two main categories: materials research for nuclear and conventional power station applications; nanoscale and surface engineering.
Materials used in conventional and nuclear power generation experience some of the harshest operating environments imaginable. The Materials Engineering Group has a wide range of characterisation equipment suitable for this class of material, including state-of-the-art electron microscopy, thermal cycling and creep facilities and non-contact strain measurement equipment. Most projects in this research area are undertaken in close collaboration with UK and European industry or as part of large European consortia.
Nanoscale energy and surface engineering focuses on energy harvesting and storage materials, paying particular attention to surface engineering of 2D materials such as Graphene, boron nitride and Molybdenum oxide/sulphides for PV and batteries/hydrogen energy applications. Synchrotron based techniques from US, UK and European facilities are used to address key fundamental challenges in these materials.
Entry requirements
Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent). If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English.
Potential research projects
Project areas are available depending on funding, but we would expect to recruit in the following general areas:
- Multiscale characterisation of creep deformation of materials for fusion reactor
- Residual stresses in next generation nuclear power plant
- Low temperature transformation martensitic weld fillers for repair welding of large power plant components
- Study of creep cavitation using correlative analysis
Current/recent research projects
- Development & Realisation of Economical Methods for Recycling Lithium Ion Batteries
- Graphene assisted low cost energy efficient solar cells
- Smart nanomaterials for flexible supercapacitors
- Graphene composites for fuel cells
- Spatially resolved digital image correlation applied to creep strain characterisation in power plant weldments EBSD as a tool for creep damage quantification in power plant steels
- Using HRDIC to study the micromechanics of polycrystal deformation
- Correction of microstructural aberrations in Neutron Diffraction strain measurements in Power plant structures
- Structural Integrity of additively manufactured metal parts for repair and build of an extra-terrestrial nuclear reactor
Potential supervisors
Fees and funding
| UK fee |
International fee |
| Full time: £4,786 per year |
Full time: £15,698 per year |
| Part time: £2,393 per year |
Part time: £7,849 per year |
For detailed information about fees and funding, visit Fees and studentships.
To see current funded studentship vacancies across all research areas, see Current studentships.
Links