PhD Research Studentships

Solvent effects and inhibition of autooxidation reactions in CO2

Supervisor: Radomir SLAVCHOV
Apply by:13 June 2025
Start in:September (Semester 1)

Description

Do you want to dedicate yourself to one of the most important engineering problems facing humanity? Are you into physical chemistry, chemical kinetics, equations of state? Do you want to become a specialist in a process that is predicted to grow from almost nothing currently to one of the top 5 chemical processes by mass in the next 20 years?

All major energy agencies predict that the geological carbon capture and storage (CCS) will be a key process in the effort towards net zero: one estimate from the International Energy Agency places the share of CCS in the cumulative CO2 reduction worldwide between 15% and 50%. Several huge hub projects are underway, where CO2 streams from many emitters are mixed and transported to the injection site. This mixing is a bottleneck in the challenge facing these projects, because impurities from different streams react chemically and produce acids which corrode the pipeline. There are so many scenarios for mixing that a representative test is difficult to design, and no modelling tools currently exist to predict reliably the risk of concentrated acid raining inside the billion dollar equipment.

This PhD studentship will put you right in the centre of one of the most important projects of humanity. You will work on several aspects of the radical chain reactions taking place in transported CO2:

  1. studying the catalytic effect by NO2 and the solvent effect from CO2 on the rate of these reactions;
  2. investigating the possibilities to chemically prevent the formation of H2SO4 and HNO3 in the stream;
  3. study the formation of molecular films on the surface of steel in contact with impure CO2;
  4. work with a team of researchers to contribute to the development of reliable testing procedure and modelling tools required for the launch of the first large CCS hub project.

Length: 3.5 years

Eligibility: you will have a bachelor degree at 2:1 or higher or masters degree in Chemistry, Physics or Chemical Engineering

Home students only (studentship fully funded by EPSRC and Shell)

Skills sought (some of them will be acquired during the studentship): 
- knowledge of physical chemistry, thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, corrosion, dielectric solvents, equations of state for mixtures;
- basic coding skills and some knowledge in computer algebra (Maple or equivalent) and process simulation software (Aspen).

Relevant publications:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2024.112204

Funding

Funded by: EPSRC
For 2024-5, the UKRI stipend rate is £21,237 p.a. + Home tuition fees

Eligibility

  • The minimum requirement for this studentship opportunity is a good honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline.
  • If English is not your first language, you will require a valid English certificate equivalent to IELTS 6.5+ overall with a minimum score of minimum score of 6.0 in each of Writing, Listening, Reading and Speaking).
  • Candidates are expected to start in September (Semester 1).

Contact

For informal enquiries about this opportunity, please contact Radomir SLAVCHOV.

Apply

Start an application for this studentship and for entry onto the PhD Chemical Engineering full-time programme (Semester 1 / September start):

Apply Now »

Please be sure to quote the reference "SEMS-PHD-665" to associate your application with this studentship opportunity.

Keywords:Environmental Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Thermodynamics, Chemical Physics