Chemical Engineering

Fully-funded PhD studentship available on nanosensor engineering by electrocrystallisation with the opportunity to start immediately. The overall goal of the project is to create a platform technology for nanosensor scale up by understanding the nanoscale phenomena in electrodeposition. Electroanalytical and nanomaterials characterisation methods will be used to investigate the nucleation and crystal growth mechanisms of charge-transfer complexes (CTCs) on ultramicroelectrodes and nanoelectrode patterns. The knowledge gained will be used to achieve controlled electrodeposition of CTC nanowire sensors on microchips. This project will contribute to UK’s global competitiveness in high-tech areas such as advanced manufacturing of wearable microelectronics and the internet-of-things sensors.

Electrodeposition is used by electroplating industry to deposit monolayers, thin films, and thick coatings. Understanding of electrochemical nucleation and crystal growth at the nanoscale is necessary for widening the adoption of electrodeposition by high-tech industries such as energy storage, advanced electrode materials, and sensing. Precise electrodeposition of nanowires and thin films on microchips holds the potential for scalable manufacturing of nanosensors.

This project seeks to address a significant knowledge gap related to electrodeposition at the nanoscale, with a focus on CTCs from the tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) family. Recent progress in nanomaterials characterisation and simulations reveals an intricate process involving nanocluster building blocks, their interactions, and multistep crystallisation pathways. Electrodeposition provides a unique means to study early-stage crystallisation because of the additional control provided by the applied overpotential. To bridge this knowledge gap, the project outlines specific aims: (1) obtain dynamic structural data on early-stage CTC electrocrystallisation through real-time microscopic and electrochemical measurements integrating the ultramicroelectrode technique; (2) scale up findings from single ultramicroelectrodes to nanoelectrode arrays; and (3) demonstrate impact on technology by creating gas nanosensors using CTC electrodeposition.

If successful, you will have the opportunity to work under the supervision of Professor Guangzhao Mao, an internationally recognised scientist and the Head of School of Engineering at The University of Edinburgh.

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity. Please see details here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

Due to time constraints requiring this project to recruit a PhD student as soon as possible. Submissions from applicants who do not require an ATAS for study will be prioritised, in order to facilitate the earliest start date feasible. An ATAS application can take at least 6 weeks, and is not guaranteed to be provided. Please note that once a suitable candidate is found, this project will close to applications. 

Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Tuition fees + stipend are available for Home/EU and International students.

Applications are also welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere.

Further information and other funding options.

Membrane-based processes for water treatment, such as reverse osmosis (RO), hold promise in tackling water scarcity locally and globally. Nevertheless, conventional polyamide membranes for RO exhibit low rejection of Small, charge-Neutral Contaminants (SNCs), which endanger human health and biota.

Progress towards highly selective membranes has been hindered by insufficient understanding of the mechanisms that underlie separation efficiency: how water and contaminants sorb into, and diffuse through, polyamide membranes. Both contaminant sorption and transport require a molecular-level treatment, at far higher resolution than is afforded by conventional (continuum) membrane transport models.

Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and free energy calculations, this project aims to computationally design highly selective RO membranes by elucidating the mechanisms governing SNC sorption and transport. The project will focus on SNCs that are insufficiently rejected by state-of-the art RO membranes, e.g., boric acid, a toxic constituent of seawater, and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a carcinogenic disinfection by-product whose insufficient removal during RO-based wastewater reuse (rejection ~ 60%) demands additional, and costly, advanced oxidation processes (e.g., high-energy UV).

The specific objectives of this project are:

• Objective 1. To gain molecular-level insight into the hydration layer at the polyamide-water interface, to understand how interfacial water molecules determine SNC sorption and transport.
• Objective 2. To elucidate the role of interfacial chemistry in SNC sorption to polyamide, in order to computationally develop surface coatings to bolster SNC rejection, and thus establish structure-property-performance relations linking coating composition with SNC rejection.
• Objective 3. To characterise the transport mechanisms of SNCs through polyamide, to enable transport models to quantify the trade-off between contaminant rejection and water permeance.

Simulation insights emerging from this project will enable membrane manufacturers to develop highly selective RO membranes. These materials will lower the cost of seawater desalination and wastewater recycling by RO, in addition to producing safer product water for humans and ecosystems.

Research and Training

The successful applicant will conduct research in the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, under the co-supervision of Dr Santiago Romero-Vargas Castrillón and Dr Rohit Pillai. The student will have access to a wide range of computational facilities, including ARCHER2, the UK’s national supercomputer. Educational and research opportunities afforded by this project include:

• Training in state-of-the-art molecular simulation technique
• Close mentoring through regular meetings, as well as interactions with other investigators at the Institute of Multiscale Thermofluids (IMT) and the Institute for Infrastructure and Environment (IIE) at Edinburgh
• The opportunity to attend national and international scientific conferences to disseminate your result
• Strong emphasis and support to publish research results in leading scientific journals, which will kickstart your career in academia or industry

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity. Please see details here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

This is a challenging and scientifically ambitious project, requiring a student who is dedicated and enthusiastic about asking, and tackling, fundamental questions. The successful applicant will have been awarded an undergraduate degree at the time of appointment (2:1 or above, preferably supported by an MSc) in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, physics, materials science, or a cognate field. A strong background in mathematics and physics is required, as well as interest in molecular simulation. Prior research experience in modeling and simulation is highly desirable.

Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere, as explained below.

PhD studentships managed by the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh are available every year through a competitive process.

Applicants interested in applying for a University-administered award should e-mail the supervisors (Santiago@ed.ac.uk, R.Pillai@ed.ac.uk) as soon as possible to begin discussions, explaining how your experience meets the Applicant Requirements given above. Application deadlines vary from mid-January to late March.

Please note that most studentships are available only to Home Students (International students not eligible.)

To qualify as a Home student, you must fulfil one of the following criteria:

• You are a UK student

• You are an EU student with settled/pre-settled status who also has 3 years residency in the UK/EEA/Gibraltar/Switzerland immediately before the start of your Programme.

Further information and other funding options.

Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are emerging as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their inherent safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. As the demand for efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective energy storage solutions grows, ZIBs present a viable option for large-scale applications such as grid storage and electric vehicles. One of the key components determining the performance of ZIBs is the electrolyte, which plays a crucial role in ion transport, electrochemical stability, and overall battery efficiency.

This project focuses on the development and optimization of advanced electrolytes for high-performance zinc-ion batteries. Unlike lithium, zinc is abundant, non-toxic, and operates in aqueous environments, making it safer and more affordable. However, challenges such as zinc dendrite formation, limited electrolyte stability, and slow ion mobility need to be addressed for ZIBs to compete with LIBs in commercial applications.

Primary Objectives:

1. Design and optimize both aqueous and non-aqueous electrolyte systems, incorporating novel additives, ionic liquids, and solid-state options to enhance performance. This will involve addressing key challenges such as zinc dendrite formation, side reactions, and limited electrochemical stability.
2. Investigate strategies to prevent zinc dendrite formation and improve the cycling stability of zinc anodes. By optimizing the electrolyte composition, we aim to extend the battery's lifespan and enhance safety.
3. Investigate the interaction between electrolytes and various cathode materials to ensure compatibility and maximize energy density, charging speed, and cycle life. This will help identify the best electrolyte-cathode combinations for specific applications.
4. Utilize advanced electrochemical characterization techniques and computational modeling to understand the mechanisms governing electrolyte performance, ion transport, and electrode stability. These insights will inform the rational design of next-generation electrolytes.

The project will explore the balance between aqueous and non-aqueous systems, considering factors such as ion mobility, corrosion resistance, and electrochemical window. By enhancing zinc ion transport and overall battery efficiency, this research aims to push the boundaries of green energy technology.

The outcome will be a new generation of high-performance, scalable, and sustainable ZIBs, providing a viable solution for grid energy storage, electric vehicles, and renewable energy applications.

Please direct informal enquiries and requests for further information to Dr. Peisan E (Sharel) (Email Address: Sharel.E@ed.ac.uk), and provide a CV.

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

Essential Experience:

• BSc and/or Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Science, Machine Learning or Artificial Intelligence
• A minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent)
• Excellent spoken and written English and good communication skills. Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.
• Experience using modelling and simulation techniques
• Literature surveys, documentation and reporting

Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere, as explained below.

PhD studentships managed by the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh are available every year through a competitive process.

Applicants interested in applying for a University-administered award should e-mail the supervisors (sharel.e@ed.ac.uk) as soon as possible to begin discussions, explaining how your experience meets the Applicant Requirements given above. Application deadlines vary from mid-January to late March.

Further information and other funding options.

Condensation is a heat transfer process in which a vapor releases energy/heat as it changes its phase to become a liquid, which typically occurs when the vapor is cooled below its dew temperature, often upon making contact with a cooler surface. This process is critical in numerous applications, including in HVAC systems, power generation, and refrigeration. The effectiveness of dropwise condensation in transferring heat makes it essential in condensers, where minimizing the surface area for dropwise condensation and optimizing conditions for heat transfer can significantly enhance system efficiency. Techniques such as enhancing surface properties or controlling fluid dynamics are often employed to maximize the rate of heat transfer during the condensation process.

Recently, we developed new techniques to modify surfaces with regions that can tune the surface properties and control the fluid dynamics of condensing droplets via patterned liquid-like surfaces, which are based on Slippery Covalently Attached Liquid-like Surfaces (SCALS). In this experimental project, you will tackle questions involving condensation on patterned liquid-like surfaces: we are interested in understanding how the different SCALS chemistries and the nature of the patterning affect condensation and heat transfer and help to maintain a stable heat flux during condensation phase-changes. This will require parametric and methodological studies and by answering questions like these, you will be pushing the boundaries of knowledge in this field and kick-start your postgraduate career.

We expect that you will have a good degree in Engineering or Physics with an experimental and modelling background. We are particularly interested to hear from applicants with experience in surface science, fluids dynamics and fluid mechanics and/or phase change.

If successful, you will become a member of the Wetting, Interfacial Sciences and Engineering WISE Group within the Institute for Multiscale Thermofluids at the School of Engineering. You will join a vibrant community of PhD students, postdoctoral research associates and academics working in various aspects of surfaces and wetting, and will develop as a scientist benefiting from our track record, which includes publications in top journals, international collaborations and contributions to key international conferences.

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in Engineering or Physics with an experimental and modelling background, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. We are particularly interested to hear from applicants with experience in surface science, fluids dynamics and fluid mechanics and/or phase change.

Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere.

Further information and other funding options.

The interaction of droplets with structured surfaces is extremely important in microfluidics, with target applications in medical diagnostics, self-assembly and printing. In this project you will study the dynamic interactions of droplets with structured solid surfaces coated by a thin liquid lubricant layer. Depending on your skills and interests, you will tackle questions about the fluid dynamics of this system using experimental/computational approaches, or a combination of both.

If successful, you will become a member of the Wetting, Interfacial Sciences and Engineering Group within the Institute for Multiscale Thermofluids at the School of Engineering. You will join a vibrant community of PhD students, postdoctoral research associates and academics working in various aspects of surfaces and wetting, and will develop as a scientist benefiting from our track record, which includes publications in top journals, international collaborations and contributions to key international conferences.

Informal queries can be directed to Dr Rodrigo Ledesma-Aguilar (Rodrigo.ledesma@ed.ac.uk)

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree.

We expect that you will have a good degree in Engineering or Physics with an experimental or computational modelling background. We are particularly interested to hear from applicants with experience in surfaces and fluid mechanics.

Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere.

Further information and other funding options.

Friction is a key limiting factor affecting the motion of liquids in contact with solid surfaces. When water droplets interact with a solid surface, friction can severely limit the speed at which they move, or hamper their motion altogether. Fundamentally, friction between droplets and solid forces is an open field of research in fluid mechanics, with important applications in a range of fields, from microfluidics to self-cleaning and heat transfer.  

Recently, we have initiated research on the interaction between droplets and liquid-like surfaces. These are surfaces created by grafting polymer chains to a solid substrate, thus creating an ultrasmooth surface. In this project you will study the dynamics of droplets on patterned LLS, where a surface topography, or a chemical pattern, is applied. The scope of the project will be experimental, theoretical, or a combination of both, depending on your specific skill set. By addressing the questions of this project, you will be pushing the boundaries of knowledge in this new field and kick-start your postgraduate career.

If successful, you will become a member of the Wetting, Interfacial Sciences and Engineering Group within the Institute for Multiscale Thermofluids at the School of Engineering. You will join a vibrant community of PhD students, postdoctoral research associates and academics working in various aspects of surfaces and wetting, and will develop as a scientist benefiting from our track record, which includes publications in top journals, international collaborations and contributions to key international conferences.

The following academic team will be part of your supervision team:

Principal supervisor:Rodrigo Ledesma Aguilar: https://www.eng.ed.ac.uk/about/people/dr-rodrigo-ledesma-aguilar

Assistant supervisors:Gary Wells: https://www.eng.ed.ac.uk/about/people/dr-gary-wellsProfessor Glen McHale: https://www.eng.ed.ac.uk/about/people/professor-glen-mchale

Informal queries can be directed to Dr Rodrigo Ledesma-Aguilar (Rodrigo.ledesma@ed.ac.uk)

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree.

We expect that you will have a good degree in Engineering or Physics with an experimental and/or modelling background. We are particularly interested to hear from applicants with experience in surfaces and fluid mechanics.

Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere.

Further information and other funding options.

Food texture is related to the way our senses perceive and feel the rheological and mechanical properties of edible substances. For example a potato chip is crispy; an apple is crunchy; butter is soft; bread is firm; candy is hard; yogurt is smooth; cream is thick; cake is moist, and honey is sticky. Food texture is critical for the consumer and impacts on a product’s market share. It is affected by the composition, manufacturing process, storage conditions and aging. It impacts the final quality and nutrition value of the food product. Food industry strives to improve texture while enhancing the product’s nutritional value and health benefits. For example, healthy oleogels can be used in substitution of harmful trans/saturated fats while retaining the sense of a “mouthful” product.

Texture is complex to quantify, as it is the result of interplay of the food mechanical and rheological properties as physically sensed in the mouth. It is the result of the complex movement of chewing involving our jaws, teeth, and tongue, and the combined comminution (particle size distribution change) and gradual dissolution of substances in saliva.

This project aims to develop and combine mechanical and rheological testing methodologies that will characterize texture rapidly and reliably, in real time, during the manufacturing and storage period. The experimental program will be complemented by state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) methodologies in order to correlate improved texture with optimized manufacturing and storage processes.

The ideal candidate will combine strong experimental and computational skills, an interest in food science and engineering, mechanics, rheology and numerical methods/software (e.g., MATLAB, Python).

https://vasileioskoutsos.wixsite.com/softmaterials

www.eng.ed.ac.uk/about/people/dr-dimitrios-i-gerogiorgis

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity. Please see details here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

An undergraduate degree in Chemical/Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related area (Physics, Chemistry), with a strong background in computational modelling.

Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree.

Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere

Further information and other funding options.

The wetting behaviours of liquids on solid surfaces play an important role for a wide range of engineering applications, including coatings, electronics, oil recovery, microfluidics, and inkjet printing. For many of these applications, the key challenge is to control the static and dynamic wettability of a given substrate against various liquids. To achieve such control, especially over the full range of wettability landscape, surface chemistry, while crucial, is inadequate by itself. Recent works have shown that novel surfaces with exceptional wetting properties (often termed as superwettability) can be designed by introducing roughness, lubrication, chemical heterogeneities, and tuning the elasticity of the substrate.

The underlying theme of this PhD project is to study the rich interplay between fluid flow dynamics, surface chemistry, geometry, roughness, and solid elasticity in the context of wetting phenomena. Depending on the interests of the student, they can focus on modelling or combine modelling and experiments to develop engineering design principles for structured surfaces with superwettability properties. We will consider both model surfaces with regular patterns (e.g., posts, holes) and non-ideal, industrially relevant substrates (e.g., complex fibres, meshes). This project will also involve collaborations with our international experimental and industrial partners, Dr.-Ing. Hutomo Suryo Wasisto (Infineon Technologies AG, Germany) and Prof. Kuwat Triyana (Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia), to explore how these design principles can be exploited for applications in microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and sensor technologies.

It is expected that the applicant will have a good degree in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or any other related subject. We are particularly keen to hear from applicants who want to develop expertise in fluids, surfaces, and/or simulations using high performance computing. Prior experience in any of these areas is useful but not a necessity to apply.

The student will join Prof Halim Kusumaatmaja’s group which will move to the Institute for Multiscale Thermofliuds at the University of Edinburgh in May 2024. The student will also benefit from a vibrant community of PhD students, postdoctoral research associates and academics working in various aspects of surfaces and wetting in Edinburgh.

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity. Please see details here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

Further information about Prof Halim Kusumaatmaja’s group can be found in: https://sites.google.com/site/kusumaatmaja/home 

Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere.

Further information and other funding options.

Do you want to design and construct synthetic life-like cells? A major goal of synthetic biology is to create life-like artificial cells from non-living components, i.e. the bottom-up approach. This exciting project will focus on designing, constructing, and testing synthetic cells with multiple sub-compartments. Just like their living counterparts (i.e. eukaryotic cells), synthetic cells with different inner compartments allow multiple and advanced functionalities.

The building blocks will be lipid vesicles, both large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), as well as membrane embedded and encapsulated proteins. To do so, the student will develop methodologies for lipid vesicle formation, including bulk techniques such as water-in-oil emulsions, and microfluidic systems (e.g. micro-droplets). Bottom-up synthetic cells can shed light on natural biological cell functions but can also be used for future industrial applications like biofuel production or in biomedical applications such as drug delivery.

Possible outcomes and goals:

• Studying the interaction of collections of synthetic cells (i.e. proto-tissues) for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.
• Setting-up enzymatic reactions between sub-compartments to model and understand eukaryotic cellular metabolism.
• Developing new microfluidic tools to construct multi-compartment synthetic cells for drug delivery applications.

Methods:

• Lipid vesicle preparation
• Microfluidics
• Confocal microscopy
• Membrane protein reconstitution
• Cell-free protein expression

Location and skills:

The project will be carried out at the Institute for Bioengineering (IBioE) at the University of Edinburgh. The student will attain skills in microfluidics, lipid chemistry, membrane protein reconstitution, optical microscopy, as well as data and image analysis. The student will also learn various experimental techniques including microfabrication, protein preparation, lipid handling, and confocal microscopy. These skills will be essential for a student perusing an industrial career in the biotechnology sector; in addition they will be important for an academic career in Chemical or (Bio)engineering.

Career development:

• Institutional and Peer Support: you will benefit from an excellent supportive environment at the School of Engineering within the Institute for Bioengineering at The University of Edinburgh.
• International Collaboration: the successful student will also have to opportunity visit and interact with our network of international collaborators.
• Impactful publications and dissemination: the student will also benefit from strong support towards publications in world class journals (including the ACS Nano and Lab on a Chip) and participation in major conferences (including the Biophysical Meeting and the European Biophysical Congress).
• Teaching and Research Development: the potential student will have the opportunity (once trained and familiar with relevant materials) to become a teaching assistant for courses offered at the School of Engineering.

Please note this position will remain open until filled. Please contact tom.robinson@ed.ac.uk before applying.

https://www.eng.ed.ac.uk/about/people/dr-tom-robinson

Relevant publications:

Shetty, S. C. et al. (2021) ‘Directed Signaling Cascades in Monodisperse Artificial Eukaryotic Cells’, ACS Nano. American Chemical Society, 15(10), pp. 15656–15666. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.1c04219.

Yandrapalli, N. et al. (2021) ‘Surfactant-free production of biomimetic giant unilamellar vesicles using PDMS-based microfluidics’, Communications Chemistry. Nature Publishing Group, 4(1), p. 100. doi: 10.1038/s42004-021-00530-1.

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity. Please see details here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or international equivalent) in any of these areas Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering or related discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree.

Experimental experience in one or several of the following areas would be advantageous:

• Microfluidics
• Fluorescence microscopy
• Image analysis / analysis of reaction kinetics data

Previous experience with biological samples, such as protein reconstitution, lipid vesicles (e.g. GUVs or LUVs), or cell-free expression.

Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Full funding (tuition fees + stipend) is available for Home and Overseas applicants.

Further information and other funding options.

The conversion of biomass into value-added platform chemicals can greatly alleviate the reliance on fossil feedstock. Biomass alcohol such as benzyl alcohol is one of the important biomass-derived platform compounds and a significant feedstock, which are used to produce a series of value-added derivatives, such as benzaldehyde, hydrobenzoin, benzoin, and deoxybenzoin. Among these derivatives, the C-C coupling chemicals, hydrobenzoin, benzoin, and deoxybenzoin have higher value than the rest and can be used as the versatile intermediates for the production of high value-added downstream products, such as various chemical additives, dyestuff, pharmaceuticals as well as the precursor of photo initiator. However, in the conventional process, the synthesis of above-mentioned C-C coupling products focuses on sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation of alkenes, and requires the use of toxic cyanide and metal complex catalysts, resulting in a host of by-products, therefore limits the development of the traditional biomass alcohol conversion.

Photocatalysis has recently emerged as a promising way for benzyl alcohol conversion because of the low energy consumption, mild reaction conditions and high selectivity. However, the reaction mainly promoted by UV light, which is a very small portion of sunlight resource. This project will develop visible-light driven photocatalysts with suitable band levels to facilitate sunlight absorbtion and create separated electrons and holes for redox reactions, particularly the photocatalytic coupling of benzyl alcohol to C-C coupling compounds with non-toxic and high selectivity catalytic process. In addition, it is important to improve the student the experimental skill, materials characterization skill and data analysis skill.

Student who joins our group will learn the fundamentals of photocatalytic reactions and photocatalyst synthesis, the use of GC, BET, FTIR, GCMS, XPS, SEM and chemical analysis to understand the reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, the student will be trained in the critical analysis of experimental data, material characterization and writing skills.

Primary objectives:

1. Train the student with photocatalytic experimental skills.

2. Teach the student how to synthesise photocatalysts.

3. Develop the student with analytical skills of experimental data and characterization, the use of GC, BET, FTIR, GCMS, XPS, SEM and chemical analysis to understand the reaction mechanisms.

4. Improve the student with critical thinking and writing abilities.

5. Reduce the by-product benzaldehyde and increase the yields of C-C coupling products.

6. Increase the selectivity of a specific product (hydrobenzoin, deoxybenzoin or benzoin).

7. Understand the mechanism of the photocatalytic C-C coupling reaction.

The University of Edinburgh is committed to equality of opportunity for all its staff and students, and promotes a culture of inclusivity. Please see details here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity

Minimum entry qualification - an Honours degree at 2:1 or above (or International equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering discipline, possibly supported by an MSc Degree. Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or elsewhere.

Further information and other funding options.