PhD Scholarship in Computational Surface Science

PhD Scholarship inComputational Surface Science

Closing date for applications: 15 June 2022

PhD start date: September 2022

Dr Chiara Gattinoni is looking for a PhD student to work in the Department of Chemical and Energy Engineering on Computational Surface Science, and in particular the simulation of surface structure and molecule-surface interactions for applications in nanoscience, using atomistic computational methods such as density functional theory and classical molecular dynamics.

The successful PhD candidate will benefit from the following:

• 3-year studentships of ~£15,000 per annum living stipend (usually tax free)
• Payment of all tuition fees
• Collaboration with experimentalists in top UK universities
• Mentoring from a top researcher in the field of computational surface science

About LSBU: The School of Engineering at London South Bank University is an ambitious and progressive centre of research strength, ranked 25th nationally for research power in the last Research Excellence Framework. The London South Bank University have a fabulous central London location and are looking for talented potential students interested in research to work with our academic faculty in areas of strength.

PhD Scholarship in Computational Lubricant Development

The aim of this research project is to investigate nanoscale corrosion and corrosion inhibition processes, and to propose new types of inhibitors with improved properties.

Project Objectives:

• Elucidate the atomistic steps leading to metal corrosion, from the initial oxidation of the metal
• Understanding how molecular properties affect the macroscopic behaviour of the inhibitors.
• Combining the results to develop new and improved molecules for corrosion inhibition.

Project Impact:

This work fills a gap in corrosion and corrosion inhibition research, which is generally conducted at the macroscopic level. By understanding the nanoscale behaviour of corrosion inhibitors and the atomistic process of corrosion, we can speed up the discovery of novel and improved formulations.

PhD Outcomes: The outcomes of this project for the PhD candidate are:

• Deep understanding of the industrially relevant process of corrosion and corrosion inhibition
• learn density functional theory and classical molecular dynamics
• collaborate with colleagues performing experimental work on the same topic
• present the findings of the project in international conferences
• perform high-quality research and publish it as journal articles

This will be a 3-year fully funded studentship.

Supervisory Team:

The successful applicant will be working Dr Chiara Gattinoni (https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/about-us/people/people-finder/dr-chiara-gattinoni ) in the Department of Chemical and Energy Engineering.

Enquiries should be directed to Dr. Gattinoni ([email protected] ). Please send a copy of your CV, a cover letter explaining your interest in the project and any previous relevant experience in surface science and/or atomistic simulations of materials, and transcripts of your degrees.

Requirements:

Applicants must be enthusiastic learners and having a strong interest in materials modelling and tribology.  They should have (or be expected to gain) either a first-class or an upper second-class Honours degree (or equivalent), or an MSc/MRes. A background in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or Materials Science is required.