PINZ CDT PhD Studentship: Development of Continuous Flow Reactor System for CO2 Hydrogenation to Acetic Acid and Ethanol

About the Project

Overview

Carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies offer a route to sustainable chemical production by transforming captured CO2 into valuable products. Acetic acid and ethanol are widely used industrial chemicals with established markets and infrastructure, making them ideal early targets for carbon-derived production. COOloop has developed and validated a novel catalyst platform capable of converting CO2 to oxygenated products including formic acid, acetic acid and ethanol at laboratory scale. The next critical step is transitioning from batch laboratory reactions to continuous flow systems capable of generating industry-relevant performance data, enabling pilot-scale development. This project aims to design, optimise, and validate a continuous flow CO₂ hydrogenation system for the production of acetic acid and ethanol using COOloop catalysts. This will be achieved through a combination of catalyst translation to flow, reactor design and process optimisation, kinetic modelling alongside a technoeconomic and carbon impact analysis. The student will gain experience in heterogeneous catalysis and chemical engineering aligned to commercialisation.

All project partners recognise the importance of equal participation, progression and success for all. We strive to provide a working, learning, social and living environment that will enable all our staff and students to contribute fully, to flourish and to excel - a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

The Department of Chemistry holds an Athena SWAN Gold Award and is committed to supporting equality and diversity for all staff and students.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented across the partnership.

This PhD is part of the Centre of Doctoral Training in Process Industries: Net Zero (PINZ) and will be based at the University of York. There will be cohort training and activities that will take place at Newcastle University.

Number of awards: 1

Start date: 21st September 2026

Award duration: 4 years

Application closing date: 23rd June 2026

Sponsor: EPSRC

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed PhD project (usually chemistry or chemical engineering, but please get in touch if you think your qualification may be relevant). Enthusiasm for research, the ability to think and work independently, excellent analytical skills and strong verbal and written communication skills are also essential requirements.

Although we sometimes have a limited number of fully funded international awards available, at this time we can only accept applications from students who qualify for UK home fees.

How to apply

● submit an online PhD in Chemistry application: https://www.york.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/courses/apply?course=DRPCHESCHE3

You will then need to provide the following information:

● A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form

● ‘Research Proposal’ - include the title of the project you are applying for

● A CV

● A transcript of your marks

● The details of two academic referees

● Complete the PINZ CDT Studentship: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Data Form (for York applicants only).