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Masters Compare - Find your perfect masters course.
Deadline: 29 November 2026
South West, All England
This project is one of a number in competition for a studentship from the Faculty of Engineering and Design at the University of Bath. If successful, this studentship is expected to commence 04 October 2027.
An alternative start date may be possible if agreed with your intended supervisors and the Doctoral College.
Plastic waste and carbon dioxide emissions are two major sustainability challenges, yet they are typically addressed separately. This project will investigate whether waste plastics can be upcycled into advanced electrochemical materials that actively capture and release CO₂ using electricity. The central hypothesis is that waste-derived carbons can be engineered with the pore structure, surface chemistry and redox functionality required for efficient electro-swing CO₂ separation.
The project will initially use post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a controlled model feedstock. PET will be converted into porous conductive carbons through tailored carbonisation and activation routes, with processing conditions systematically varied to control microporosity, surface functionality and electrical conductivity. These materials will then be functionalised with reversible redox-active CO₂-binding groups, initially based on quinone chemistry. Applying an electrical potential will switch the affinity of these groups for CO₂, enabling capture and release without the high-temperature regeneration required by conventional sorbents.
A key scientific objective will be to establish how waste-plastic chemistry and processing history determine pore architecture, redox-site accessibility, electron and ion transport, CO₂ uptake and cycling stability. The most promising materials will be integrated into a laboratory-scale electrochemical capture device and evaluated under increasingly realistic gas compositions, including simulated industrial flue gas. Performance will be assessed in terms of CO₂ capacity, selectivity, capture rate, energy consumption and long-term durability.
The project will also quantify whether the proposed approach provides a genuine sustainability advantage. Energy and lifecycle analysis will compare the waste-derived electrochemical materials with conventional sorbents and virgin-carbon alternatives, identifying the processing and lifetime requirements needed to deliver net environmental benefit.
The project therefore combines waste-plastic valorisation, advanced functional materials and electrically driven carbon capture. It aims to establish a new circular route in which discarded polymers are transformed from an environmental burden into functional materials for low-carbon separation technologies.
Applicants must have, or be about to obtain, a UK Honours degree 1st or 2.1, or international equivalent. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.
Applicants should have a strong background in chemical engineering, chemistry, materials science, electrochemistry, or a closely related discipline. An interest in sustainable materials, carbon capture, porous materials and/or circular-economy technologies is essential.
Experience in one or more of the following areas would be advantageous, but is not required: electrochemistry; porous carbon synthesis; polymer processing or recycling; gas adsorption and separation; materials characterisation; or lifecycle/sustainability analysis.
The project is interdisciplinary and will involve materials synthesis, electrochemical testing, gas-separation experiments and quantitative data analysis. Applicants should therefore be comfortable working across disciplinary boundaries and have a strong interest in developing both experimental and analytical skills.
Non-UK applicants, who are not currently studying in the UK, must meet the programme’s English language requirement before the application deadline – no exceptions will be considered.
Applicants will be considered for a studentship. Studentships cover tuition fees, provide a £1k per annum training support fee, and a maintenance stipend (£21,805 2026/27 rate). International students will be required to cover the cost of a Student visa and Immigration Health Surcharge from personal funds.
o Informal enquiries are encouraged. Direct these to supervisor email address Bernardo Castro Dominguez - [email protected]
Please follow the below instructions carefully.
You must make a formal application via the University of Bath’s online application form for a
Please note that you can apply for a maximum of two PhD projects on this programme.
In the ‘Funding Your Studies’ section, you must select ‘University of Bath URSA’ from one of the drop-down menus.
In the ‘Your PhD project’ section, you must quote the project title in the PhD project title field, and you must quote the lead supervisor’s name in the field ‘Name of intended supervisor at University of Bath.’
If you are applying for two projects, you must quote the project title for your second choice project in the field ‘Project 2 Title’ and the lead supervisor’s name in ‘Name of intended supervisor for 2nd choice project at University of Bath.
You must ensure that you follow the above steps correctly. Failure to complete these steps will cause errors in the automated processing of your application and may mean that you are not considered for a particular project.
The Faculty of Engineering and Design at the University of Bath has studentships available for Home and Overseas students. However, in line with UKRI policy, the number of studentships available to Overseas students are capped.
Wed 11 Nov 2026