[Materials] PhD (University College London, UK)

PhD position in Computational Materials Science
Department of Chemistry
An EPSRC-funded PhD studentship is available in the Computational Materials Research group of Professor Nora de Leeuw to exploit new developments in computational techniques and the latest High Performance Computing facilities in a research project on one of the following topics:

Surface processes in interplanetary space

The origin of water in the inner solar system is not yet well understood. Because of the coexistence of water and small solid particulates in the accretion disk from which our planetary system formed, it has been proposed that adsorption of water onto the surfaces/pores of minerals in the interplanetary dust clouds could play an important role in the delivery of water to the rocky planets. The aim of the project is to model the adsorption of water and other small molecules (He, H2) to the surfaces of ices and silicates and to calculate their retention under the extreme conditions present in interstellar space.
This project is in collaboration with the experimental group of Prof. Mike Drake at the University of Arizona, USA, and the student will have the opportunity to visit Tucson, Arizona, during the studentship, as well as attend relevant workshops and conferences in the UK and abroad.

Bio-active bone replacement materials

Hydroxy-apatite is the major constituent of natural bone and tooth enamel and as such is a promising candidate for the manufacture of artificial tissue replacement materials, usually as a composite material with bio-glasses, metals or polymers. The composite nature of the tissue replacement material provides it with unique properties, which can be tailored to its particular function, eg. solubility, bio-activity, strength, elasticity or porosity. The project therefore concerns modelling the structure and properties of interfaces of hydroxyapatite with both bio-glass and metal surfaces and its integration with a range of polymers.
This project is in collaboration with experimental researchers at the Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science and the student will have the opportunity to attend relevant workshops and conferences in the UK and abroad.

Iron scavengers in the environment

Iron is one of a range of essential nutrients required by plants for their metabolism to function properly. To this end they employ siderophores (Greek for iron carriers), which are selective iron-chelating compounds that form strong complexes with iron-oxide minerals to dissolve Fe(III) ions and transport them into their cells. The aim of the project is to investigate, firstly, the chelating action of the siderophore binding groups with Fe(III) ions in solution to form strong metal-ligand complexes, and secondly, the interaction of the binding groups with iron-containing mineral surfaces and their effect on the dissolution of the minerals.
This project is in collaboration with the experimental group of Prof. Kurt Haselwandter at the University of Innsbruck in Austria and the student will have the opportunity to visit Innsbruck during the studentship, as well as attend relevant workshops and conferences in the UK and abroad.

Informal enquiries on any of the projects may be made to Professor Nora de Leeuw. Tel. +44 (0)20 7679 1015, Email n.h.deleeuw@ucl.ac.uk.
The studentship is available now and is open to UK residents who are eligible for funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/PostgraduateTraining/StudentEligibility.htm
Applications from students with a suitable first degree, which should include a full CV and the names and addresses of two academic referees, should be sent to:Prof. Nora de Leeuw n.h.deleeuw@ucl.ac.uk
Department of ChemistryUniversity College London20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ.