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Postgraduate research

Novel chemical reprocessing of critical metals in sustainable technologies

Qualification: PhD

Department: School of Chemistry

Application deadline: 28 April 2025

Start date: 22 September 2025

Overview

Open to UK applicants only

Supervisors:

Project:

Elements such as Co, Ni, Au, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, Se and Te are found throughout devices such as mobile phones, batteries, solar cells, magnets, printed circuit boards and fuel cells. Their rarity, coupled with their high value, makes them important elements to recycle. This project will investigate novel methods for recycling materials. This includes developing selective dissolution and recovery methods as well as working with major manufacturers on device design to make them easier to recycle. This includes aspects such as designing the chemistry from a bottom-up approach to achieve reversible adhesives and design for disassembly with the ultimate aim to reprocess critical elements from sustainable technologies, which otherwise end up in landfills. 

The project will use a variety of green solvent systems and dissolution methods, such as electrocatalysis, chemical etching, redox reactions and ultrasound delamination, to delaminate layered structures such as printed circuit boards and battery electrodes. The project will also use life cycle analysis and techno-economic analysis to assess the impact of the techniques developed compared to conventional technology. This PhD studentship contributes directly to the £6.4m RECREATE project [1], which tackles recovery and establishing circularity of critical materials key to the UK's Net Zero energy transition.

Applications are sought from talented and motivated UK candidates with an academic background in chemistry or material science. Experience with redox chemistry would be an advantage but is not essential.

References:

[1] https://gtr.ukri.org/project/5027D0EC-54C1-4984-A4FF-7579E3EBE202

Funding

Funding

The 3.5 year studentship offers

  • UK tuition fees
  • Stipend at UKRI rates. for 2025/6 this will be £20,780 pa

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Applications are sought from talented and motivated UK candidates with an academic background in chemistry or material science. Experience in redox chemistry would be an advantage but is not essential.

Applicants must hold: 1st or 2:1 Honours degree (or overseas equivalent), and Masters degree with Distinction (or overseas equivalent)

Â鶹ÊÓƵ English language requirements apply.

 

Informal enquiries

Informal enquiries

For queries regarding the project, please email Jake Yang directly jake.yang@leicester.ac.uk

How to apply

How to apply

To apply please use the Apply link at the bottom of this page and select September 2025

With your application, please include: 

  • CV
  • Personal statement explaining your interest in the project, your experience and why we should consider you
  • Degree certificates and transcripts of study already completed and if possible transcript to date of study currently being undertaken
  • Evidence of English language proficiency if applicable
  • In the reference section please enter the contact details of your two academic referees in the boxes provided or upload letters of reference if already available. Referees cannot be anyone on the project supervisory Team.
  • In the proposal section please provide the name of the supervisors and project title in the space provided (a proposal is not required)
  • In the funding section please specify:  Chem Yang RECREATE 1

Notes

Applications will be not considered after the closing date. We will advise you of the outcome by email.

Eligibility

Eligibility

The studentship is open to UK applicants only.

To be classed as a UK/ home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a UK or Irish national (meeting residency requirements), or
  • Have EU settled status* or EU pre-settled status* (meeting residency requirement) or,
  • Have indefinite leave to remain or enter

*EU applicants who hold EU settled or EU pre-settled status please provide PGR Admissions with a share code (the one that starts with S) so we can verify your fee status.  Please email to pgrapply@le.ac.uk

Application options

PhD Chemistry Apply now

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