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 Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering and the Department of Materials at Loughborough University.

Thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems are typically found in gas turbine engines. They protect components from high and prolonged heat loads; however, in doing so they create a large temperature difference between the insulated material and the surface of the coating, which may lead to several types of damage modes, for example, channel cracks, interface cracks, thermal fatigue, corrosion, etc.

TBC systems typically consist of four layers: a Ni-based substrate, an MCrAlY bond coat, a thermally grown oxide (TGO), and an yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic topcoat. Interface cracks can initiate and propagate between these layers due to combined mechanical and thermal loads.

The aim of this project is to study interface cracking on the interface between the Ni-based substrate and the MCrAlY bond coat/TGO to achieve a mechanical understanding of the cracking process. This can then be used to predict the performance of TBC systems and to minimise cracking. The planned work consists of a combination of analytical, numerical and experimental work.

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: materials engineering, structural or materials testing, structural mechanics, finite element modelling.

General information about the Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering and the Department of Materials can be found at: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/aae/ andhttp://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/materials/.

For informal enquiries about the project, please contact Dr Simon Wang (s.wang<στο>lboro.ac.uk), Dr Christopher Harvey (c.m.harvey<στο>lboro.ac.uk) and/or Prof Rachel Thomson (r.c.thomson<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/M2.