PhD Studentship: Manufacturing Routes for Highly Controlled Structured Metamaterial Nanoparticles

1 month ago


Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

Funding Source: Lord Bhattacharyya Fund

Eligibly: Home fee status and UK domicile EU students.

Start Date: Ongoing or as soon as possible 

Project Overview

This is a challenging and unique PhD opportunity for a student with a good materials, physics and/or engineering background, interested in applying their knowledge to the rapidly growing and multidisciplinary field of metamaterials. The structured nature of metamaterials enables their physical properties to go beyond what their non-structured material equivalents can offer and they are sought after for a wide range of technologies, from microwave electromagnetic devices, such as those required for future 6G communications systems, solid-state battery components, photovoltaic systems, sensors, catalysts, and energy harvesting technologies.

One example of metamaterials are core-shell nanoparticles. Theoretical models have shown that the physical properties of these materials can be varied and controlled through tailoring the particle size, surface morphology, and structure of the particles. This means that manufacturing routes to produce nanoparticulate materials with finely controlled structural properties are extremely desired.

In this project you will determine how physical vapour deposition (PVD) can be used to produce customised metamaterial nanoparticles with highly controlled functional properties. This will be carried out in collaboration with Nikalyte, a manufacturer of equipment for producing nanoparticles through PVD sputtering. You will explore possible manufacturing approaches to making different types of nanoparticles using this technology and propose a clear design which will be implemented. The aim is to produce a range of particles varying in chemistry, structure and particle size. The properties of the particles produced will be compared and verified by a range of advanced characterisation techniques including electron microscopy, laser diffraction, and X-ray diffraction. Across the University of Warwick an exceptionally wide range of materials characterisation facilities are available, and these will be used to understand the newly produced materials.

You will be based at WMG but will also benefit from working periodically with Nikalyte (Bicester).

Essential and Desirable Criteria

We are actively seeking an enthusiastic individual to join the team at WMG, Warwick with the following entry requirements and expectations:

  • A 1st or 2.1 undergraduate (BEng, BSc, MEng) and/or postgraduate masters’ qualification (MSc) in a science and technology field such as Materials Science and Engineering, Manufacturing, Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.

Funding and Eligibility

Funded for UK students for 4 years (17,668 pa) through the Lord Bhattacharyya Fund.

Funded for UK students for 4 years (17,668 pa) through the Lord Bhattacharyya Fund.



  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Funding Source: Lord Bhattacharyya FundEligibly: Home fee status and UK domicile EU students.Start Date: Ongoing or as soon as possible Project OverviewThis is a challenging and unique PhD opportunity for a student with a good materials, physics and/or engineering background, interested in applying their knowledge to the rapidly growing and multidisciplinary...


  • Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Project Page – Centre Project Overview We are seeking exceptional candidates with a passion for interdisciplinary research in the fields of Physics, Engineering, and Materia Science for a fully funded 3.5-year PhD research project. This exciting research project aims to develop beam-steering programmable metasurfaces capable of controlling electromagnetic...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Project Page – CentreProject OverviewWe are seeking exceptional candidates with a passion for interdisciplinary research in the fields of Physics, Engineering, and Materia Science for a fully funded 3.5-year PhD research project.This exciting research project aims to develop beam-steering programmable metasurfaces capable of controlling electromagnetic...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Solid-Supported Chalcogen Bonding CatalysisA 3.5 year fully-funded PhD position is available in the group of Dr Mark Greenhalgh at the University of Warwick, in collaboration with GoldenKeys High-Tech Materials Co. Ltd., China. The position will remain open until filled, so please get in touch at your earliest convenience.Background: Chalcogen bonding is an...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom Coventry University Full time

    Sept 2024 projectAbout the ProjectAt Coventry University, the Research Centre for Fluid and Complex Systems (FCS) is pushing back research boundaries and delivering real-world solutions to complex fundamental and applied challenges.Project detailsFCS brings together almost 60 leading applied mathematicians, statistical physicists, experimentalists,...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom Coventry University Full time

    Join the Frontier of Cardiovascular HealthcareCardiovascular diseases can cause severe clinical events and have consisted a leading cause mortality globally. The coronary artery disease (CAD) and coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMVD) are two major mechanisms of myocardial ischemia. Currently, the accurate diagnosis of CMVD depends on invasive...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom Coventry University Full time

    We are seeking a highly-motivated PhD candidate to join our interdisciplinary team to work on a collaborative project.G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) form the largest family of membrane proteins in the human genome and are the therapeutic target for ~40% of clinically-prescribed drugs. Understanding their structure & function at the molecular level is of...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Funding Source: Industrial CASE (iCASE)Sponsor Company: JLRStart Date: October 2024Course: MPhil/PhDProject Page – CentreProject OverviewRoute information has significantly improved the optimization of hybrid vehicle propulsion by determining the most efficient power source for different parts of a journey. It's commonly used for eco-coaching by...


  • Coventry, United Kingdom Coventry University Full time

    We are seeking a highly-motivated PhD candidate to join our interdisciplinary team to work on a collaborative project. G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) form the largest family of membrane proteins in the human genome and are the therapeutic target for ~40% of clinically-prescribed drugs. Understanding their structure & function at the molecular level is...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Funding Source: IndustryEligibility: Available to eligible Home fee status and UK domicile EU studentsStart Date: OngoingCourse: MPhil/PhDProject OverviewRubbers are ubiquitous materials in modern society and have played important roles across industries. As the key component to connecting the vehicle to the road, the performance of the tyre directly...


  • Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Funding Source: Industrial CASE (iCASE) Sponsor Company: JLR Start Date: October 2024 Course: MPhil/PhD Project Page – Centre Project Overview Route information has significantly improved the optimization of hybrid vehicle propulsion by determining the most efficient power source for different parts of a journey. It's commonly used for eco-coaching by...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Funding availability: The studentship is normally only available to home (UK) students, but there is a possibility to extend it to an EU/international student.)Start date: October 2024 (some flexibility)Duration: 3.5 yearsDeadline: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the post is filled. Final deadline 1st May 2024.Project...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom Manufacturing Technology Centre Full time

    We are looking for a Manufacturing Engineer to join our Metrology Team based in Coventry.The Manufacturing Engineer – Metrology role is to turn a customer demand (a specification) into a method of manufacture that can then be executed to meet the customer demand within the required lead-time and cost.Duties and ResponsibilitiesBased within the MTC's...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom Coventry University Full time

    There is an opportunity for a highly-motivated PhD candidate to join our interdisciplinary team to investigate G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).GPCRs are the therapeutic target for ~40% of clinically-prescribed drugs and are of critical inter-est to the pharmaceutical industry with respect to future drug discovery. They also form the larg-est family of...


  • Coventry, United Kingdom Manufacturing Technology Centre Full time

    We are looking for a Manufacturing Engineer to join our Metrology Team based in Coventry.The Manufacturing Engineer – Metrology role is to turn a customer demand (a specification) into a method of manufacture that can then be executed to meet the customer demand within the required lead-time and cost.Duties and ResponsibilitiesBased within the...

  • Manufacturing Engineer

    20 hours ago


    Coventry, United Kingdom Manufacturing Technology Centre Full time

    We are looking for a Manufacturing Engineer to join our Metrology Team based in Coventry. The Manufacturing Engineer – Metrology role is to turn a customer demand (a specification) into a method of manufacture that can then be executed to meet the customer demand within the required lead-time and cost. Duties and Responsibilities Based within the...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Supervisors: Dr. Ferran Brosa Planella, Dr. Radu Cimpeanu, Prof. Louis PiperSummary:Manufacturing not only has a significant impact on battery performance and lifetime, but also on cost and environmental impact. A key process (yet not a well-studied one) is the so-called filling, in which a liquid electrolyte is incorporated into the battery, occupying the...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom Coventry University Full time

    Applications are invited for a 3.5-year PhD studentship on 'Post-Hurricane Damage and Recovery: A remote assessment of agricultural resilience in the Caribbean'. Project BackgroundHurricanes cause widespread damage to agriculture, resulting in vegetation loss and decreased productivity. The Caribbean region, specifically, is affected by three major...


  • Coventry, Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Sponsor Company: DSTLStart Date: OngoingProject Page – CentreProject OverviewThis PhD research proposal aims to design, fabricate, and characterise proprioceptive materials integrated with active feedback systems for real-time shape optimisation in defence applications. Using 3D printing technologies, the project focuses on the development of a specific...


  • Coventry, United Kingdom University of Warwick Full time

    Sponsor Company: DSTL Start Date: Ongoing Project Page – Centre Project Overview This PhD research proposal aims to design, fabricate, and characterise proprioceptive materials integrated with active feedback systems for real-time shape optimisation in defence applications. Using 3D printing technologies, the project focuses on the development of a...