Fully-funded PhD Studentship for UK/EU students

A 4-year PhD studentship is available in the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Theory and Simulation of Materials at Imperial College London.

The position is fully funded for EU and UK candidates.

Microstructural evolution in irradiated materials: a research frontier

One of the recognized research frontiers in the theory and simulation of materials concerns the development and evolution of microstructure. For example, the 2014 international conference onMultiscale Materials Modelling has made the simulation of microstructure its central theme.

Why is this? It is the enormous range of time and length scales involved in the evolution of microstructure, together with the diversity of sources of microstructure in materials, that characterizes the problem. Microstructure emerges as a result of processes at the atomic scale, but very soon involves length scales much greater than atomic. A good example is the clustering of point defects to form nuclei of particles. When they are still very small these particles may undergo a stochastic, Brownian motion driven by thermal fluctuations and biased by long-range elastic interactions with other defects. At the same time they may continue to grow through the attachment of further atoms and agglomeration. As they grow their motion becomes less stochastic and more deterministic. They may also become immobile so that further evolution occurs through a process known as Ostwald ripening, where larger particles grow through atoms detaching from the smaller particles and diffusing to the larger particles. These processes may continue for as long as the lifetime of an engineering component, and they may also be what eventually limits that lifetime.

In this project we will address the evolution of microstructure within an irradiated metal. This is a universal problem of prime importance to the development of fusion nuclear power. The project will involve the development of new mathematical and computational algorithms, capable of retaining information of atomic-scale processes that govern mechanisms by which microstructures evolve at length scales far greater than can be treated in full atomistic detail. It will also require the development of algorithms for the visualisation of three-dimensional microstructures.

Successful candidates will have an aptitude for theory and already have, or expect to achieve, a first class (or equivalent) Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the physical sciences or engineering. The studentship will start in October 2014.

The project is in collaboration with the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy. Technical and scientific enquiries may be directed to Prof Adrian Sutton FRS. General admissions enquiries should be directed to Ms Miranda Smith.