PhD in Mettalurgy

This 3.5-year PhD studentship is open to Home (UK) students./nThe successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26; subject to annual uplift), and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year./nThe start date is October 2026./nTitanium alloys are essential for modern aeroengines thanks to their outstanding strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. Their performance, however, is strongly influenced by microtexture, crystallographic orientation clusters that develop in the material during processing. Controlling microtexture is critical for improving mechanical properties and enabling lighter, more fuel-efficient components that support the aviation industry’s sustainability goals./nThis PhD project will focus on developing strategies to control microtexture in both existing and newly designed titanium alloys. You will combine advanced 3D microstructure characterization using world-class facilities at The University of Manchester with forging simulation, both experimental and computational, to understand and predict microtexture evolution during processing./nThe project is sponsored by Rolls-Royce and forms part of a UK-wide collaborative effort involving leading universities and research centres.