PhD FindDoctoral opportunities · PhDFind
Menu
中文

Bath Engineering & Design Studentships: Electric-Field Control of Colloid–Polymer Mixtures: From Energy Storage to Responsive Materials

Project 1841 · University of Bath · Department of Chemical Engineering

Application workspace

Save this opportunity and prepare around its actual requirements. Confirm deadlines and eligibility at the original source.

Read the research report View the recruitment source
Country or region
United Kingdom
Application deadline
2026-11-29 (confirm the exact time with the source)
Funding
Competitive PhD studentships may be awarded to Home and Overseas applicants. Overseas awards are capped under UKRI policy; the applicable share is not specified. Awards cover tuition fees, a £1,000 annual training allowance, and a maintenance stipend (£21,805 is the 2026/27 reference). Engineering & Design URSA awards normally fund up to 3.5 years; confirm the individual award duration. International students pay Student visa and Immigration Health Surcharge costs from personal funds.

The research opportunity

Bath Engineering & Design Studentships: Electric-Field Control of Colloid–Polymer Mixtures: From Energy Storage to Responsive Materials

Project Overview

This experimental PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Bath will investigate how colloids and polymers move and organise under electric fields. The student will use optical microscopy and particle tracking to connect observable motion with the interactions in the mixture, then explore one selected application area: energy storage, particle separation, or field-responsive materials. The intended lead supervisor is Dr Clare Rees-Zimmerman (crrz20@bath.ac.uk).

Research Background and Aims

Colloidal dispersions are liquids containing particles from the nanoscale to the micrometre scale. They are relevant to applications including energy storage and particle separation. Polymers often coexist with colloids and change particle interactions, mixture stability, and transport. Colloidal and polymer electrolytes can have different mechanical properties from traditional electrolytes and may offer more sustainable alternatives; these are potential motivations, not demonstrated outcomes of this PhD.

Electric fields can move, concentrate, and sort charged particles. They can also change particle interactions and organisation, allowing material structure and properties to respond to an applied field. Many existing theories describe isolated particles in dilute suspensions. In concentrated, multicomponent colloid–polymer mixtures, each particle is also affected by surrounding colloids, polymers, and ions. How these factors combine to determine collective motion and organisation is not yet predictively understood.

Doctoral Work and Methods

The student will study electrically driven transport from dilute dispersions through concentrated, multicomponent mixtures. The main work is experimental: use optical microscopy and particle tracking to observe electrically driven motion in controlled experiments, while varying particle concentration and charge, polymer concentration, electrolyte composition, and electric-field strength. The aim is to determine how composition and interactions affect particle mobility, collective transport, and field-induced structure.

Theory and computational modelling may be used to interpret the experiments, depending on the student's interests, with opportunities to work with researchers who have complementary modelling expertise. Experimental research is the primary approach; modelling is an optional direction rather than a prerequisite for admission.

Application Direction

The student will choose one area in which to explore how the fundamental findings could be applied:

  • colloidal or polymer electrolytes for energy storage;
  • electrically driven particle separation; or
  • field-controlled particle organisation and assembly.

The project description does not specify a particular battery system or product. Any claimed improvement in battery performance would require evidence on properties such as conductivity, stability, and device compatibility; controllable structure alone would not establish reduced environmental impact.

Candidate Requirements

Applicants must hold, or expect to obtain, a UK Honours degree at first-class or 2:1 level, or an international equivalent. A master's degree is advantageous. Relevant backgrounds include chemical engineering, chemistry, physics, materials science, or a related discipline, particularly with an interest in colloids, polymers, soft matter, energy, or functional materials.

Enthusiasm for laboratory research and quantitative analysis is important. Previous experience in microscopy, colloid or polymer experiments, materials characterisation, or electrochemistry is beneficial but not essential; training will be provided. The project especially welcomes applicants interested in fundamental colloid and polymer science, real-world applications, and cross-disciplinary work.

Application Process

Apply through the University of Bath's online form for a PhD in Chemical Engineering. You may apply for at most two projects in the programme. In “Funding Your Studies,” select “University of Bath URSA.” Under “Your PhD project,” enter the full project title in “PhD project title” and the lead supervisor's name in “Name of intended supervisor at University of Bath.” For a second choice, enter its title in “Project 2 Title” and its lead supervisor in “Name of intended supervisor for 2nd choice project at University of Bath.” Incorrect entries can prevent the application from being considered for the intended project.

Non-UK applicants who are not currently studying in the UK must meet the programme's English-language requirement by the application deadline; no exceptions are considered. Check with admissions which evidence is accepted and whether an exemption applies to your circumstances.

The general English-language baseline for the Chemical Engineering PhD is IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each component. For TOEFL tests taken before 21 January 2026, the baseline is 90 overall and 21 in each component; tests taken on or after that date use 4.5 overall and 4.0 in each component. Results must be within 24 months of entry. A recent degree taught entirely in English may support an approved exemption, generally when completed within the previous two years; an English-medium degree in China does not automatically qualify. Confirm the accepted evidence and any exemption with admissions, and note that this project requires the English condition to be met by the application deadline for non-UK applicants not currently studying in the UK.

The programme asks for two references, at least one academic reference from the applicant's most recent institution. Its 1,000-word research-proposal rule applies to an applicant's own proposed topic and does not automatically apply to this advertised project. The personal statement should explain research preparation and motivation. Confirm the full application-material checklist with admissions.

Funding and Timing

The project competes for a Faculty of Engineering and Design studentship. Home and Overseas applicants may be considered, but the number of Overseas awards is capped under UKRI policy; the applicable share is not specified. Studentships cover tuition fees, provide a £1,000 annual training allowance, and include a maintenance stipend. The £21,805 figure is the 2026/27 rate, not a confirmed 2027/28 personal amount. International students must pay Student visa and Immigration Health Surcharge costs from personal funds.

The project information gives the deadline as Sunday, 29 November 2026, without a time. The October 2026 URSA competition information specifies 23:59 GMT on that date. Confirm the operative time and timezone in the current application instructions. If awarded, the expected start date is 4 October 2027; another date may be possible by agreement with the intended supervisor(s) and the Doctoral College. Engineering and Design URSA awards normally support up to 3.5 years, while the PhD normally takes four years. Ask what duration and completion arrangements would apply to an individual award. Current availability of this specific place has not been verified.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The University encourages applications from under-represented groups and aims to provide an inclusive research environment. If circumstances affected your educational attainment, you may explain them in a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement. If you declare a disability on the application form, the Disability Service will contact you to discuss support.

Questions to Confirm

Before applying or accepting an award, ask the supervisor which colloid, polymer, and electrolyte systems are likely to be studied first; which microscopy, particle-tracking, and field-control facilities will be available; how experimental and modelling work may be balanced; and when the application area will be selected. Also confirm the intended supervision and technical-training arrangements.

Ask the supervisor or admissions team to confirm the current project's availability, the operative deadline, the exact accepted English-language evidence and degree-equivalence assessment. Before accepting an award, confirm its paid months, the 2027/28 stipend, research-cost support, the start-date arrangement, and how work beyond the funded period would be supported. Request the complete list of application materials.

Research and application brief

Report generated: . This date does not confirm that recruitment remains open.

Information updated: . Recheck the original notice before applying.

Show report contents

Bath Engineering & Design Studentships: Electric-Field Control of Colloid–Polymer Mixtures: From Energy Storage to Responsive Materials

This is an experiment-led soft-matter PhD with Dr Clare Rees-Zimmerman in Bath's Department of Chemical Engineering. Its value is the connection between observable particle motion and the interactions that govern concentrated mixtures. The central training is quantitative laboratory research in soft matter, with an application chosen during the project. The October 2026 URSA information describes international tuition and maintenance support for the 2027 competition; selection remains competitive.

Research Problem and Doctoral Work

A particle moving through a dilute liquid is a simpler problem than a particle surrounded by other charged particles, polymers and ions. The proposed doctorate asks how these neighbours change electrically driven mobility, collective motion and organisation. The experimental backbone is optical microscopy and particle tracking. Varying particle concentration and charge, polymer concentration, electrolyte composition and field strength would help distinguish competing explanations of the measured motion.

The student would move from simpler dispersions towards concentrated, multicomponent systems, connect measured motion with structure, and assess which interactions must enter a predictive description. Theory and computation are available according to the student's interests, with complementary modelling expertise envisaged. The experimental project can therefore include modelling without requiring prior mastery of every computational method; any model still needs testing against the chosen mixtures.

The student will choose one application area from colloidal or polymer electrolytes, particle separation, or electrically responsive assembly; this does not imply delivery of three complete application demonstrators. An electrolyte result would need separate evidence on conductivity, stability and device compatibility before supporting a battery-performance claim. Likewise, controllable structure does not by itself establish lower environmental impact.

A strong thesis would make the chain from observations to inference explicit. Particle-tracking bias, crowding and changes in the surrounding liquid can affect interpretation. Equilibrium structural models may be useful reference points, but electrically driven mixtures need not satisfy their assumptions. The initial application, accessible materials and a fallback question remain to be agreed with the supervisor.

School, Programme and Field Context

The registering and awarding institution is the University of Bath, United Kingdom; the formal programme is Chemical Engineering PhD, within the Faculty of Engineering & Design. It is not a Physics registration despite the fundamental-physics content. This placement supports a link between colloidal mechanisms and process or materials applications.

Bath's official research overview reports QS 2027 overall rank 125. Its department page reports 96% of the research submitted to the engineering REF 2021 assessment as world-leading or internationally excellent. These are institutional and submitted-unit signals, not a ranking of this particular laboratory. The more relevant fit is the department's materials/process community, including IMPS and The Foundry, which also appear in the PI's memberships. Membership does not guarantee a particular instrument, collaborator or industrial placement.

The doctorate normally takes four full-time years. Progress includes probationary registration, confirmation, a substantial thesis and viva. Research training is therefore broader than producing microscopy results: the student must defend the interpretation and its limits. Doctoral College workshops, coaching and research communication activities are available through MyDoctoralDevelopment. Ask the supervisor how the personal course plan, experimental induction and specialist support would be scheduled.

For careers, the transferable package is quantitative experimentation, image-based measurement, soft-matter interpretation and potentially scientific modelling. These can support materials/formulation research, separation technologies or further academic work. The RSC's workforce research supplies broader evidence of demand for practical, digital and transferable chemistry skills; it does not establish a salary, placement rate or specific vacancy for this doctorate.

Supervisor and Lab Assessment

The Bath profile described in October 2026 identifies Clare Rees-Zimmerman as a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering accepting doctoral students; that general invitation does not confirm availability of this particular place. Her public email is crrz20@bath.ac.uk. Her Cambridge doctoral work and subsequent Oxford research fellowship explain the affiliations in earlier papers; the latter fellowship is recorded as October 2022–December 2025 and should not replace her current Bath role. Only Rees-Zimmerman is named as this project's lead. Coauthors and potential modelling collaborators are not automatically appointed co-supervisors.

Three recent originals help assess the research match. Their evidence scope is limited to the abstracts and selected passages specified below; coverage differs by paper:

  • Diffusiophoresis in gradients of mixtures of colloidal and molecular-sized ions, online 2025 and in a 2026 journal volume, is her sole-author theoretical study. The stated scope is the complete original institutional abstract. It revises coupled ion/particle transport and reanalyses experiments; concentration-gradient-driven motion is not direct validation of externally driven concentrated polymer mixtures.
  • Inverting g(r) to u(r): The test-particle insertion method (2025) connects particle configurations to effective interactions. The stated scope includes a complete original coauthor abstract and substantial publisher-indexed selections from Methods, Results and Discussion. Sampling, image artefacts, cutoff choices and high-density behaviour limit inference; fitting structure does not prove a unique underlying interaction. Its equilibrium assumptions require scrutiny here.
  • Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Stratification Regimes in Drying Polystyrene and Silica Nanoparticle Films (2024) combines film measurements and modelling. The stated scope is the complete publisher abstract and metadata. Interior sandwich structures exposed a mismatch between model predictions and measurements, suggesting missing interactions. Drying-film evidence is relevant methodological experience, not verification of this electric-field project.

These papers show continuity in colloid transport, structure and model testing rather than three battery demonstrations. The evidence for each is limited to the specified abstract and selected passages; none of the three complete full texts or supplementary datasets was assessed. The 2025 inverse-method article has the most detailed evidence coverage. Ask the supervisor about laboratory commissioning, instrument allocation, technical mentors, meeting frequency and the modelling collaborator's role. These details matter when judging the local experimental capacity; institutional facilities alone do not answer them.

Funding, Application, and Living Cost

The project belongs to the Faculty's studentship competition. The URSA terms described in October 2026 list Engineering & Design's 2027 competition as open, with a deadline of 29 November 2026 at 23:59 UK time, GMT. The project information gives 29 November without a time; the October 2026 competition information specifies 23:59 GMT. Confirm the operative deadline in the current application instructions. Expected entry is 4 October 2027, with another date possible by agreement with the supervisor and Doctoral College.

There is positive evidence for an international route: the project offers Home/Overseas studentships, and URSA explicitly covers Home or Overseas tuition plus annual maintenance and training support of up to £1,000 a year. The training fund is not extra maintenance cash. Overseas awards are capped, but no applicable percentage or project quota is published. This is a competition, not an already allocated personal scholarship; applicants do not need to have won it before applying.

For Engineering & Design, URSA normally funds up to 3.5 years. That is a scheme maximum, not confirmation of this student's paid months, and it is shorter than the normal four-year registration. The advertised £21,805 maintenance figure is the 2026/27 reference, not a confirmed 2027 rate. Request the personal funding calendar and arrangements for completion beyond support. The official 2027/28 Overseas full-time PhD fee is £31,350 per year, with possible annual increases up to 8%. A selected award covering Overseas tuition pays the relevant fee; this figure is not an automatic extra bill on top of a full award.

For orientation, Bath's historical 2025/26 sample budget totals £405 a week or £21,060 a year, excluding tuition, flights and visa charges. It lists average university-managed rent at £230 a week on a 51-week contract. Its total also includes an off-campus utility line despite a halls label, so it should not be treated as a clean current accommodation quote. Comparing that old total with the old stipend leaves only £745; neither is a reliable 2027 surplus forecast. Housing is not generally guaranteed for PhD students under the dated admissions FAQ.

Visa and IHS must be paid personally. The October 2026 cost references are £558 for the Student visa and £776 per visa-year for students' IHS, subject to duration and part-year rules. Upfront payment, travel, deposits and any unfunded completion period require a separate reserve; 2027 prices may change.

Applicant Fit and Preparation

The project requires an obtained or expected UK first-class/2:1 honours degree or international equivalent. A master's is advantageous, not mandatory. Relevant backgrounds include chemical engineering, chemistry, physics and materials science. Laboratory enthusiasm and quantitative analysis matter. Microscopy, colloid/polymer experiments, characterisation or electrochemistry experience is beneficial but explicitly not essential because training is offered. Computing interest can strengthen the fit without converting the optional modelling route into an entry requirement.

International applicants have an explicit eligibility route: the project accepts international degree equivalents, and URSA considers Overseas applicants. Individual qualification equivalence still needs assessment. Bath's country-specific guidance viewed in October 2026 focused on undergraduate and taught postgraduate qualifications, while earlier official indexed text also described Chinese research-degree preparation. The taught master's percentages must not be imported as a universal PhD threshold. Send the degree title, institution, transcript and research experience for assessment rather than assuming a fixed China percentage.

Chemical Engineering's English baseline is IELTS 6.5 overall with every component at least 6.0. TOEFL tests before 21 January 2026 require 90 overall/21 each; tests on or after that date use 4.5 overall/4.0 each. Results must be within 24 months of entry. A recent degree taught solely in English may support an approved exemption, generally within two years; Chinese English-medium study is not an automatic waiver. Crucially, this project requires non-UK applicants not currently studying in the UK to satisfy English by the application deadline, with no exceptions. The general possibility of a later conditional admission does not override the funding deadline.

Apply to Chemical Engineering PhD and choose “University of Bath URSA” under Funding Your Studies. At most two projects can be considered. Enter the first title and supervisor under “PhD project title” and “Name of intended supervisor at University of Bath”; use “Project 2 Title” and “Name of intended supervisor for 2nd choice project at University of Bath” for a second choice. Incorrect fields can prevent consideration. The programme asks for two references, at least one academic from the latest institution. Its 1,000-word proposal rule applies to an applicant's own idea, not automatically to this advertised topic. The personal statement should explain research readiness and motivation. Educational disruption can be explained at its end; disability support is available.

Next Actions and Questions to Verify

The strongest preparation is evidence of turning a noisy measurement into a defensible explanation. A relevant project discussion should distinguish observed motion, inferred interactions and an application claim, and identify when a simpler model fails. A concise account of previous quantitative laboratory work will be more useful than presenting every listed optional technique as mastered.

Contact Rees-Zimmerman to confirm the current project place, the first research question and the selected application. Ask what microscopy/field-control resources are allocated, who provides practical training, how often supervision occurs, and who supplies modelling support. Request the intended paid months, 2027 stipend when set, research-cost coverage and the plan for any final unfunded period. Admissions should confirm degree equivalence, English evidence and the relevant ATAS process.

Chemical Engineering is explicitly covered by ATAS on the current programme page. China is not a nationality exemption; requirements depend on the assigned subject/offer and individual clearance. This is an administrative condition, not a categorical ban. A Student visa route exists after the appropriate offer/CAS and other requirements are met.

The opportunity merits consideration for experimental soft-matter applicants with an interest in applications. Its main scientific risk is an overextended application or an inference model that does not remain valid in driven mixtures. Its financial risk is the gap between a competitive funding framework and the individual completion calendar. Project-specific information dates to 17 October 2026, with programme, supervisor and funding information described on 18 October. These dates do not establish that the particular place is still available. Confirm availability and any changed terms before applying.

Evidence and Sources

Project, Supervisor, and Scientific Research

School, Training, and Applicant Requirements

Funding, Costs, and Immigration

Sources

The listing may come from a university or recruitment platform. Check the notice and official sources in the report for current application requirements. View the recruitment source

Explore opportunities with related research or the same country, prioritising similar funding where relevant. Recheck each notice before applying.

University of Sheffield · United Kingdom

Bio-Inspired MEMS PhD: Acoustic Sensing for Buried Water-Pipe Condition Assessment

Competitive EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award. The project listing advertises 3.5 years, full tuition, a UKRI-rate stipend currently stated as £21,805/year (2026/27 benchmark), and a project research grant. EPSRC funding is based on the Home tuition rate; Sheffield says it covers the difference for successful international awardees. International awards are capped at 30%, with up to ten places anticipated by Sheffield and Home applications considered first. The 2027/28 stipend and project-grant amount/scope are not stated.

2027-01-13 (confirm the exact time with the source)

University of Leeds · United Kingdom

Landscape Ecology PhD: Connectivity and Ecosystem Function Along Canals

YES-DTN 2027/28 competitive studentship. Scheme-level terms in project materials: 3.5 years, UKRI-rate stipend, university fees, and research/fieldwork/training/conference-travel support. International applicants may compete; up to 30% of awards may go to international candidates, with full applicable Home or International university tuition for successful award holders. Relocation, visa and NHS surcharge costs are excluded. Project-specific stipend amount and fieldwork allocation are not stated.

2027-01-12 (confirm the exact time with the source)

University of Leeds · United Kingdom

Satellite Remote Sensing PhD: Comparing Soil Organic Carbon and Moisture under Regenerative and Conventional Farming

A 3.5-year YES-DTN award is advertised with a UKRI-rate stipend, university fees, and research, fieldwork, training and conference support. The 2027/28 stipend, project research-cost allowance, 2027 international allocation and project-specific international eligibility are unknown. Visa, immigration health surcharge and relocation costs are excluded.

2027-01-12 (confirm the exact time with the source)

University of Edinburgh · United Kingdom

PhD in evolutionary cell biology | How does Diplonema papillatum segregate its chromosomes?

Listed as a competition-funded PhD opportunity for applicants worldwide. The Darwin Trust route is for non-UK nationals whose first university degree or equivalent was obtained less than five years before the closing date; the studentship lasts up to four years and includes an annual stipend and University tuition fees. The stipend amount and full overseas-fee coverage remain unconfirmed. A 2026–2027 overseas fee reference is £34,800 per year; the 2027–2028 fee and any shortfall are unconfirmed.

2027-01-06 (confirm the exact time with the source)