Recycling high-impact polypropylenes for the automotive sector

About the Project

We seek an enthusiastic PhD candidate to help enable the circular economy for plastics within the automotive industry. Working with industry co-sponsor Artifex (https://www.artifexinteriorsystems.com) and based in the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub (https://smihub.ac.uk) at the University of Manchester, the project will deepen our understanding of the link between recycled feedstock and performance, developing the analytical tools and processing conditions help to retain material properties during recycling. Accessing modern analytical capabilities (rheology, GPC, tensile testing, microscopy) and processing tools (extrusion, injection moulding, fibre spinning), the project strives to improve the quality of recycled polypropylene grades suitable for automotive applications, becoming the guide standard for performance in meeting impact specifications for more demanding automotive applications. For the most promising routes, quantification of environmental impacts through life cycle assessment and identifying process hot-spots for future development.

With close collaboration with our industry partner Artifex, you will have the opportunity to learn from, and transfer knowledge to, a leading interiors manufacturer, with the potential to scale up solutions and see your research make a demonstrable impact on real world challenges, manufacturing methods, and products.

Eligibility

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s in a relevant science or engineering related discipline, including polymer chemistry, polymer physics, materials science, materials engineering, manufacturing or mechanical engineering.

Funding

This 3.5-year PhD project is fully funded and home students are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is October 2026.

We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline.

Before you apply

We strongly recommend that you contact the supervisors for this project before you apply. Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.

How to apply

Apply online through our website: https://uom.link/pgr-apply-2425

When applying, you’ll need to specify the full name of this project, the name of your supervisor, if you already having funding or if you wish to be considered for available funding through the university, details of your previous study, and names and contact details of two referees.

Your application will not be processed without all of the required documents submitted at the time of application, and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

After you have applied you will be asked to upload the following supporting documents:

• Final Transcript and certificates of all awarded university level qualifications
• Interim Transcript of any university level qualifications in progress
• CV
• Supporting statement: A one or two page statement outlining your motivation to pursue postgraduate research and why you want to undertake postgraduate research at Manchester, any relevant research or work experience, the key findings of your previous research experience, and techniques and skills you’ve developed. (This is mandatory for all applicants and the application will be put on hold without it).
• Contact details for two referees (please make sure that the contact email you provide is an official university/work email address as we may need to verify the reference)
• English Language certificate (if applicable)

If you have any questions about making an application, please contact our admissions team by emailing FSE.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk.