Applications are invited for a PhD studentship funded by the Graduate School to start in October 2015. The project will be based in the Department of Materials and the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, and the Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering at Loughborough University.

A new class of Al alloys are being developed that combine excellent formability with mechanical properties that are beyond that currently achievable by normal commercially available alloys.  This is achieved by very careful control of composition and processing conditions.  These alloys are potentially extremely attractive to the automotive/autosport and aerospace sectors.  However, the welding response of these alloys has not been well studied and this will be the subject of this project. The project aims to (a) understand the role of the alloy additions on the welding response including any changes in the fine-scale microstructure using a wide range of advanced characterisation facilities available at Loughborough University and (b) define new compositions to make the alloys more amenable to a range of welding processes. Through the developed understanding of the underlying microstructural evolution, it will be possible to model or predict the effect of alloy composition and processing to produce an optimised product.

The studentship is for 3 years and is intended to start in October 2015. The studentship provides a tax-free stipend of £13,863 per annum for the duration of the studentship plus tuition fees at the UK/EU rate.  International (non-EU) students may apply but will need to find the difference in fees between those for a ‘UK/EU’ and ‘international’ student themselves.

Students will normally need to hold, or expect to gain, at least a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in engineering.  A relevant Master’s degree and/or experience in one or more of the following will be an advantage: microstructural characterisation (electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction), advanced materials, light alloys, welding.

General information about the Department of Materials and the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering can be found at: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/materials/  andhttp://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/mechman/.

For informal enquiries about the project, please contact Dr. Simon Hogg (s.c.hogg<στο>lboro.ac.uk) and/or Dr. Ross Friel (r.j.friel<στο>lboro.ac.uk).

To apply, please complete the online application using the following link:https://luis.lboro.ac.uk/web_apx/f?p=100:1.

Interviews will take place in March.

Please quote the following reference when applying: GS15AACME/M1.