Lubricants for Electric Vehicles and Sustainable Energy Systems

About the Project

A fully funded PhD studentship is available in the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds for the 2026/27 academic year. This position is open to UK applicants and includes full tuition fees, a UKRI-level living stipend, and additional funding to support research training. The project is funded through the EPSRC–University Scholarship scheme in collaboration with BP-Castrol.

This PhD project offers an exciting opportunity to explore how lubricants perform in electrified systems such as electric vehicle drivetrains and wind turbine gearboxes. Electrification introduces electrical stresses into lubricated systems, which in-turn can cause lubricant degradation, electrical discharge events, and the subsequent degradation of contacting surfaces. Despite growing industrial importance, the complex interactions between electrical activity, lubricant chemistry, and surface damage are still not fully understood.

The project is based within the Institute of Functional Surfaces, School of Mechanical Engineering, which hosts internationally recognised expertise in tribology, surface engineering, and lubricant research. The successful candidate will work closely with BP-Castrol, gaining experience and industrial insight through collaboration, technical mentoring, and secondment opportunities.