PhD in Physical Sciences

The production of primary steel and aluminium uses a huge amount of resources and causes significant environmental damage, leading to a large effort to recycle these high-value alloys. To allow more control of structure during the solidification stage as the amount of recycled content is increased, a more rational understanding of the additions would advance the science for sustainable alloys and enhance metal recyclability. In this PhD project, the student will lead on computational methods, including molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, to understand, at the atomic scale, the ‘modifying’ effect of minor additions on second phase formation and growth by assessing, e.g., their influence on the solid/liquid interfacial free energy. The project involves working within a larger team that will verify the models using electron microscopy and x-ray techniques (both on the laboratory scale and at central facilities). This project forms part of an ambitious and collaborative EPSRC-funded project (Artificial Intelligence X-ray Imaging for Sustainable Metal Manufacturing - AIXISuMM) which combines research expertise at Loughborough University, The University of Oxford and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Location: Loughborough.