PhD position @QMUL-London: ERC project on FLOW-INDUCED DEFORMATION OF SUSPENDED 2D NANOMATERIALS

A fully-funded PhD position is available in the Fluids, Particles and Interfaces Group led by Lorenzo Botto at Queen Mary University of London, in the area of fluid-structure interaction in 2D nanomaterials. The goal is to study with simulation and theory how flexible 2D nanoparticles suspended in sheared liquids deform, delaminate and break. Further details are given below.

The scholarship is fully funded and does not require EU/UK citizenship.

To apply for this studentship and for entry on to the Mechanical Engineering programme (Full Time, Semester 1 start) please follow the instructions detailed on the following webpage: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/subjects/engineering.html

Further Guidance: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/

Please be sure to include a reference to ‘2018 SEMS QMRS LBotto’ to associate your application with this studentship opportunity. 

For informal enquiries about this position, please contact Dr Lorenzo Botto at l.botto@qmul.ac.uk

There is an imminent application deadline of 31/7/2018, but exceptional candidates will be considered if the application is received within the first two weeks of August.

Context: The modelling of nanoparticle suspensions composed of 2D nanomaterials is central to the design of nanocomposites, conductive inks (for printing and additive manufacturing), and smart coatings. However knowledge on the fluid dynamics of 2D nanomaterials suspensions is extremely limited. Our group in QMUL is carrying out pioneering investigations in this field within the 5-year ERC project FLEXNANOFLOW (https://bottogroup.wordpress.com/), through a combination of Molecular Dynamics and continuum (Boundary Integral) simulations, and in collaborations with experimentalists in the UK and Germany. We are looking for a motivated student to join our team of postdocs and PhD students.

In this project a new set of theoretical and computational models will be developed to: i) understand the conditions leading to exfoliation of 2D nanomaterials due to either shear flows or bubble collapse in sonication; ii) identify through molecular dynamics (MD) molecular mechanisms that affect the morphology of 2D nanomaterials when these are suspended in a sheared liquid, and the limits of continuum treatments in describing the hydrodynamics of 2D nanomaterials owing  to, e.g., slip at the graphene-water interface.

This is an ideal project for a student interested in nanomechanics, soft matter physics, colloidal hydrodynamics, dispersed multiphase flows, and nanofluidics. The applicant should possess a good Honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (mathematics, engineering, physics, computational science) with a strong emphasis in applied mathematics, engineering and/or mathematical modelling, and preferably prior knowledge of fluid dynamics or theoretical mechanics achieved through academic courses. The work will involve travel to international conferences and international research visits.

QMUL Research Studentship Details

·         Available to Home/EU & International Applicants.

·         Full Time programme only

·         Applicant required to start in Late September/October 2018

·         The studentship arrangement will cover tuition fees and provide an annual stipend for up to three years (Currently set as £16,553 in 2017/18).

·         The minimum requirement for this studentship opportunity is a good Honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline.

·         If English is not your first language then you will require a valid English certificate equivalent to IELTS 6.5+ overall with a minimum score of 6 in Writing 5.5 in all sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking).

·         International applicants should refer to the following website at http://www.qmul.ac.uk/international/index.html