Joint Industrial and EPSRC-funded PhD studentship in the Synthesis and Scale-Up of Novel Biodegradable Materials, in partnership Croda Ltd (ENG1755)

Applications are invited for a PhD Studentship, with an October 2024 start, at the University of Nottingham within the Department of Chemical and Environmental and School of Chemistry. The project will focus on the synthesis of biodegradable polymers from renewable feedstocks and the development / optimisation of scale-up processes to manufacture them. The project will focus upon clean and energy efficient approaches to the processing of these materials including supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) and microwave (µW) technologies.

The project will be conducted in close collaboration with York University (UK) and the industrial partner, Croda Ltd, who are a leading manufacturer of home and personal care products. The project will have a specific focus on exploiting green / sustainable chemistry and processing and will provide a range of experiences in synthesis of small and polymeric molecules, and the development towards a large-scale manufacturing process. 

At Nottingham, this studentship is hosted as part of a Prosperity Partnership Grant between Nottingham’s flagship Centre for Additive Manufacturing (CfAM) and the School of Chemistry..  

As this PhD is a collaboration between Nottingham, York and Croda there will be the possibility of research placements of up to six months at the partner institutions.

Supervisory Team: Prof Derek Irvine, Prof Steven Howdle and Dr Vincenzo Taresco

Funding notes: The studentships are fully funded for 42 months. Stipend at the RCUK rate (currently £19,237 per annum) and tuition fees will be paid at the UK rate. International students must pay the difference between UK and international fees.

Entry requirements: Applicants should have, or expected to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent if from other countries) in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or a related subject. An MChem/MSci-4-year integrated Masters, a BSc + MSc or a BSc with substantial research experience will be highly advantageous. Experience in organic/polymer synthesis and/or material analysis will also be beneficial. EU applicants who can confirm residency in the UK for at least three years before October 2024, you may also be eligible for a full award.

If English is not the candidate’s first language, they must provide evidence before the beginning of the studentship that they meet the University minimum English Language requirements (IELTS 6.0 with at least 5.5 in each element).

Closing Date: March 31st, 2024 - Review of applications will start in April 2024, and the positions will be filled as soon as possible thereafter; hence you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To apply, students should contact: informally with  derek.irvine@nottingham.ac.uk,  vincenzo.taresco@nottingham.ac.uk and steve.howdle@nottingham.ac.uk  after which a formal application must be made via the University web site at To apply, please complete the online application form available at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/how-to-apply/how-to-apply.aspx including your CV and quoting “Croda PhD Studentship” in the personal statement section.

Closing Date: 31 Mar 2024
Category: Studentships