SATURN CDT - Mechanistic Understanding of the Effect of Cold Work on the Corrosion Fatigue of Structural Alloys in Nuclear (PWR) Primary Coolant

About the Project

We are offering an exciting PhD opportunity in partnership with Amentum to investigate how cold work influences the corrosion fatigue performance of structural alloys used in nuclear power plants. The project sits at the interface between materials science, mechanical integrity, and nuclear engineering, providing outstanding exposure to both cutting edge research and real industrial challenges. A competitive stipend uplift is available.

Introduction

Ensuring the long term safety and reliability of Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs) requires a deep understanding of environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) in key materials such as stainless steels and nickel based alloys. Recent plant observations have shown unexpectedly high crack growth rates in regions where cold work or fabrication induced strain has increased hardness. Existing predictive models do not fully capture this behaviour, leading to underestimation of environmental fatigue contributions. This PhD will address this challenge directly.

Project Overview

This doctoral project will investigate how controlled levels of cold work affect corrosion fatigue crack growth in PWR primary water environments. You will:

• Generate cold worked materials using defined deformation routes
• Perform corrosion fatigue testing under high temperature, high pressure, hydrogenated conditions representative of PWR operation
• Characterise microstructural evolution and crack tip features using state of the art electron microscopy, including SEM, EBSD, and TEM
• Work with Amentum’s extensive crack growth database to identify trends, quantify deviations, and support improvements to industry superposition models
• Contribute to improved mechanistic understanding of how induced strain accelerates crack growth
• Help develop modified corrosion fatigue model parameters that more accurately represent cold worked materials

Your work will directly influence structural integrity assessments and EAC prediction models used in the nuclear industry.

Benefits to the Student

• Competitive industrial stipend enhancement above the EPSRC base rate
• Close collaboration with experts at Amentum and the University of Manchester
• Access to world leading high temperature water testing facilities and electron microscopy platforms at the Royce Institute
• Opportunities to attend international conferences on fatigue, corrosion, and nuclear materials
• Potential short industrial placements at Amentum
• Excellent career prospects in nuclear energy, materials integrity, consultancy, and advanced materials research

Candidate Requirements

We welcome applications from students with backgrounds in:

• Materials science
• Metallurgy
• Mechanical engineering
• Nuclear engineering
• Or related disciplines

A strong interest in experimental work, materials characterisation, and structural integrity is essential. Training will be provided in all specialist techniques, so motivated candidates from adjacent fields are also encouraged to apply.

Informal Enquiries

For further information or to discuss the project informally, please contact:

Professor Fabio Scenini
Email: fabio.scenini@manchester.ac.uk

About SATURN

This PhD is based with the SATURN Centre for Doctoral Training. SATURN is made up form a consortium of NW Universities that include Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Lancaster, Sheffield and Strathclyde. The ethos of the programme is to recruit students from across STEM and give them the necessary skills and training to become a subject matter expert in the nuclear sector in either industry or academia. You will be recruited with a cohort of other researchers all looking at nuclear focused research but from across the breadth of the sector. Your training will include an introduction to nuclear course as well as opportunities to do a deep dive in the areas that really interest you. You will also have the opportunity to broaden your experience and skills by visiting internationally relevant facilities, having an industry secondment, undertaking leadership training, and involving yourself in outreach and public engagement activities. If this sounds like the sort of opportunity that you are looking for, we would love to hear from you.

Eligibility

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline.

This studentship is open to UK nationals / home fee students due to industrial requirements.

Funding

This 4-year PhD project is fully funded and home students. This studentship is open to UK nationals / home fee students due to industrial requirements. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26) 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 supervisor 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

Please complete the Enquiry Form to express your interest. We strongly recommend you contact the project supervisor after completing the form to speak to them about your suitability for the project.

If your qualifications meet our standard entry requirements, the CDT Admissions Team will send your enquiry form and CV to the named project supervisor.

Our application process can also be found on our website: here If you have any questions, please contact SATURN@manchester.ac.uk

Funding Notes

This 4-year PhD project is fully funded and home students. This studentship is open to UK nationals / home fee students due to industrial requirements. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set £26,000 and tuition fees will be paid. The start date is October 2026.

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