PhD Studentship Digital Twin Development for Mechanical Fragmentation in Sustainable Plastics Recycling

About the Project

Applications are invited for an exciting fully funded PhD studentship at Imperial College London in the interdisciplinary fields of Mechanics of Materials, Process Systems Engineering, and Sustainable Manufacturing. The project is supported through an EPSRC Industrial Doctoral Landscape Award in partnership with BASF, offering the opportunity to work at the interface of cutting-edge research and industrial innovation in plastics recycling and circular economy technologies.

This project addresses one of the most urgent engineering challenges of our time: how to make plastics recycling more efficient, intelligent, and sustainable. Current recycling systems often treat mechanical preprocessing and downstream recovery as disconnected stages, limiting material recovery and increasing energy consumption. This PhD will develop advanced digital twin technologies that virtually replicate shredding and milling operations, enabling researchers and industry to predict, optimise, and redesign recycling processes before implementation in the real world.

The successful candidate will develop high-fidelity physics-based models to simulate fragmentation behaviour, particle size evolution, and energy demand during plastics processing. These models will be integrated with machine-learning surrogate models and linked to downstream recycling technologies, including solvent-based recycling pathways. The research will create powerful new digital tools capable of optimising plastics recycling across the entire process chain, contributing directly to the transition toward a circular materials economy.

This is a highly interdisciplinary project combining:

• Fracture mechanics and mechanics of materials
• Polymer behaviour and fragmentation
• Computational modelling and simulation
• Machine learning and surrogate modelling
• Process optimisation and digital twin technologies
• Sustainable manufacturing and circular economy systems

The PhD offers a unique opportunity to collaborate closely with industrial researchers at BASF while conducting world-leading academic research at Imperial College London. The successful candidate will gain expertise in advanced modelling, AI-enabled process engineering, and sustainable materials technologies—skills that are increasingly sought after across academia, industry, and the clean technology sector.

The studentship includes:

• A tax-free bursary/stipend
• Tuition fees at the UK Home rate
• Access to world-class research facilities and industrial collaboration opportunities

The project is open to overseas applicants; however, international candidates would need to cover the difference between Home and Overseas tuition fees.

The project is expected to start on 1 October 2026, although some flexibility in the start date may be possible.

Candidate Profile

We are seeking a highly motivated and intellectually curious candidate with a strong academic background and a passion for tackling sustainability challenges through advanced engineering research.

Applicants should hold (or expect to obtain) a First-Class or Upper Second-Class honours degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline. Experience or interest in one or more of the following areas is particularly desirable:

• Fracture mechanics
• Polymers and material behaviour
• Computational mechanics or numerical modelling
• Data-driven modelling or machine learning

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• A rigorous and self-motivated approach to independent research

This studentship would particularly suit candidates interested in developing next-generation digital technologies for sustainable manufacturing and circular materials systems.

To find out more about research at Imperial College London in this area, go to:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/research/

For information on how to apply, go to:

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/study/phd/how-to-apply/

For further details of the post contact Prof Maria Charalambides m.charalambides@imperial.ac.uk +44 (0)20 7594 7246. Interested applicants should send an up-to-date curriculum vitae to Prof Charalambides. Suitable candidates will be required to complete an electronic application form at Imperial College London in order for their qualifications to be addressed by College Registry.

Closing date: until post filled

Funding Notes

The studentship includes:

• A tax-free bursary/stipend
• Tuition fees at the UK Home rate
• Access to world-class research facilities and industrial collaboration opportunities

The project is open to overseas applicants; however, international candidates would need to cover the difference between Home and Overseas tuition fees.