Postgraduate opportunities
PhD studentships
Investigating the effects of stress on the corrosion of metallic uranium
Project description
Supported by Sellafield Ltd, this exciting and fully-funded PhD studentship will seek to extend the successful work previously undertaken at the University of Bristol to improve our understanding of the expected behaviour of irradiated uranium fuel materials in nuclear storage facilities. Specifically, the project will examine the role of stress corrosion for the uranium system, determining how it influences the behaviour and rates of degradation. In this hands-on experimental study you will be using cutting-edge materials analysis techniques and laboratories available at the Interface Analysis Centre in Bristol, a leading international centre for uranium research. You will work alongside academics and industrial collaborators, with visits and trial experiments at partners sites across the UK.
Application and funding
This project is funded by ESPRC and Sellafield. The studentship provides funding for tuition fees, stipend (standard UKRI rate), and a research training and support grant subject to eligibility.
If you are interested to apply for the position, please get in touch with Ross Springell (phrss@bristol.ac.uk) or Tom Scott (t.b.scott@bristol.ac.uk). A formal application needs to be submitted through the University of Bristol online system.
Please choose “Physics PhD” as course, and mention “‘Sellafield uranium corrosion” as the corresponding studentship advert. Applications should include a Curriculum Vitae, contact information for two potential referees and a short letter outlining the applicant’s scientific interests, suitability and motivation to work on the topic.
Deadline and further information
This studentship will commence in September 2023. Applications will close when a suitable candidate is found. Alongside completing the online application form, applicants are required to upload a short CV.
Determination of thermal ageing mechanism(s) in LWR primary circuit pressure boundary material
Project description
This project will use a combination of advanced microscopy techniques to understand the changes in microstructure of the steel reactor pressure vessel (RPV) at Sizewell B (SZB) under long-term thermal ageing in-service. SZB is a Light Water Reactor with aspirations to generate low-carbon electricity beyond 2050. To demonstrate safe operation for Long Term Operation, degradation of primary circuit pressure boundary components must be understood and accounted for when modelling normal/fault scenarios.
- What mechanism(s) give rise to the observed embrittlement in thermally-aged low-alloy steel used for the SZB RPV?
- What kinetics do identified mechanisms display?
- What are the associated implications for other low-alloy primary circuit materials that operate at higher temperatures than the RPV?
- How does pre-stress affect the ageing process and microstructure, and its associated impact on mechanical properties?
- If time allows, how does the thermally-aged material differ from specimens which have also incurred irradiation effects?
The student will undertake advanced microstructural characterisation, in particular scanning and transmission electron microscopy, focused ion beam microscopy and atom probe tomography. They will be trained in the use of these techniques, learn the skills required to analyse the resulting data, and be trained in the theoretical background and modelling of thermal ageing in low-alloy steels, and the underlying engineering and scientific principals behind water-cooled nuclear reactors.
The student will be expected to undertake a three-month placement with EDF Energy at its central facilities, with potential to visit SZB and learn more about the operation of a nuclear reactor. The studentship will be aligned with the Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy Futures, enabling the student to access training modules, facilities and research visits offered by that programme.
Application and funding
This project is funded by ESPRC and EDF Energy and provides funding for tuition fees and stipend (standard UKRI rate).
If you are interested to apply for the position, please get in touch with Tomas Martin (tomas.martin@bristol.ac.uk) or Mariia Zimina (m.zimina@bristol.ac.uk).
As this studentship will be aligned with the Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy Futures, a formal application will need to be submitted through the Imperial College online system.
Deadline and further information
This studentship will commence in September 2023. Applications will close when a suitable candidate is found.
Study at the IAC
Our postgraduate students gain expertise in materials science applied to real world problems. At the same time they experience a multidisciplinary research environment and gain valuable exposure to industry.
For more than 30 years the IAC has been actively involved in research on materials and material surfaces. The Centre continues to provide a vibrant and stimulating environment for postgraduate study. Researchers within the Centre explore materials of all types, including strong activities in nanoscience and nuclear materials.
Why undertake postgraduate study in materials science?
The world is in the middle of a materials revolution. Materials science and engineering has transformed every aspect of modern living. Advances in engineered materials are crucial to the continued vitality of countless industries. Research at the IAC and elsewhere at the University of Bristol plays a key part in this revolution.
Since the beginning of civilisation advances in materials have preceded almost every major technological leap. Materials science and engineering is an interdisciplinary field. We explore the scientific fundamentals of materials, their design and their processing for real world applications. We apply the basic principles of chemistry and physics to understand the structure and properties of materials.
As a postgraduate at the IAC you will learn to bridge the gap between science and engineering, becoming an expert not only in your area of study but in materials analysis in general.