PhD Studentship: Radiological, chemical and microstructural characterisation of legacy and candidate AMR graphites for recycling, reuse and lifecycle decision-making University of Plymouth in United Kingdom

[3.5 years of funding including full Home tuition fees, RTSG/bench fee support, and a stipend of £26,000 per annum. International-fee candidates must cover the difference between Home and International tuition rates unless separate funding is agreed.]

This PhD studentship at the University of Plymouth focuses on the radiological, chemical and microstructural characterisation of legacy and candidate advanced modular reactor (AMR) graphites for recycling, reuse and lifecycle decision-making.

The project sits within the EPSRC-funded ENLIGHT programme, a national effort aimed at enabling a lifecycle approach to graphite in advanced modular reactors. It addresses a major nuclear materials challenge: how to safely manage legacy reactor graphite from Magnox and AGR decommissioning, while also understanding the properties of graphite materials that may be used in future reactor technologies.

The student will be based in the University of Plymouth’s newly refurbished Radioisotopes and Advanced Materials Suite (RAMS). This specialist facility supports radiological analysis, porous materials characterisation and advanced materials research. The project will make use of radiological screening, density and porosity measurement, gas-accessible pore structure, surface area analysis and graphite characterisation, with complementary spectroscopy, diffraction, microscopy and chemical/impurity analysis where appropriate.

Research will compare legacy graphites with modern candidate graphite grades, and examine how treatment or recycling changes graphite structure and chemistry. The overall aim is to generate evidence that helps determine whether graphite should be reused, recycled, further treated, used only for research, or sent for disposal.

The studentship runs for 3.5 years and starts on 1 October 2026. It includes full Home tuition fees, RTSG/bench fee support and an annual stipend of £26,000. The funding is fully available only to applicants eligible for Home fees with relevant qualifications; candidates normally liable for International fees would need to cover the fee difference unless separate funding is agreed.

Applicants should have a first or upper second class honours degree, or a relevant Masters qualification, in a related discipline such as chemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental science, materials science, geochemistry, radiochemistry, nuclear engineering, chemical engineering or physics. Experience in laboratory research, analytical chemistry, materials characterisation, spectroscopy, microscopy, radiochemistry or data analysis would be an advantage. International applicants should also meet the English language requirement of IELTS Academic 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

The closing date for applications is 18 August 2026. Interested applicants should use the Apply link on the opportunity page. Informal enquiries may be directed to Dr Katie Jones at katie.jones@plymouth.ac.uk.