Applications are invited for this PhD studentship which has been funded by the European Union Framework 7. The studentship is tenable for up to 3 years for a PhD (via MPhil route) [subject to satisfactory progress]. The studentship will cover the cost of tuition fees for UK/EU residents plus a maintenance grant of £16,000. The successful applicant will start on 1 January 2013. International applicants may apply but will be expected to pay the difference between the UK/EU and International Fee Rate.
Project Description
This exciting project addresses one of the major challenges in European fire safety – the replacement of eco toxic halogenated flame retardants with safe alternatives. There are three studentships associated with this project and applicants will be considered for all three studentships unless indicated otherwise.
This project involves the measurement of thermophysical properties of novel CNT based polymer nanocomposites as a function of temperature (e.g. heat conductivity, rheological properties, heat capacity, heat of degradation etc.) and the effects of these parameters have on a burning polymer. A sophisticated numerical model such as ThermaKin will be used to bring these parameters together to show how they affect the burning behaviour.
A versatile and enthusiastic chemist or physicist is required in order to enhance our understanding of the influence of physical properties on burning behaviour to optimise fire retarded formulations and quantifying the effects of physical properties (absorptivity, emissivity, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, heat of decomposition, heat of combustion etc.) on burning behaviour, and use this data to model materials’ ignitability and heat release rates.
The project is led by world experts in the field, Prof Hull and Dr Anna Stec, editors of Fire Toxicity, (Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, UK), based at UCLan.
Informal enquiries should be made to Dr Anna A Stec, aastec@uclan.ac.uk or Prof Richard Hull trhull@uclan.ac.uk.
Applicants should have or expect to receive a good honours degree in chemistry or related subject preferably 1st class honours or equivalent.
Closing Date: 5 November 2012
Proposed Interview Date: Week Commencing 12 November 2012
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Flame retardancy of polymers 