Engineering New Materials for Solid-State Cooling (Ref: AACME-24-028)

Engineering new materials is crucial for transforming the way we cool our world. While traditional vapour compression technology has dominated the refrigeration industry for decades, it faces limitations in efficiency, environmental impact, and miniaturisation potential. This necessitates a shift towards solid-state cooling, and electrocaloric materials offer a promising solution. These remarkable materials, capable of changing temperature under an electric field, hold the key to developing more efficient and compact cooling systems.

However, designing these materials with the right properties and complex structures for efficient cooling presents a significant challenge. Traditional manufacturing methods often fall short in producing the intricate architectures required.

This project tackles these challenges head-on with a focus on developing innovative composite material concepts specifically for electrocaloric devices. By harnessing the capabilities of cutting-edge additive manufacturing (or 3D printing), we aim to fabricate these intricate designs, paving the way for a new generation of highly efficient and sustainable cooling technologies.

94% of Loughborough’s research impact is rated world-leading or internationally excellent. REF 2021

Supervisors

• Primary supervisor: Sina Saremi Yarahmadi

Entry requirements

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in the relevant subject areas and have a genuine interest in ceramic processing and energy conversion technologies.

English language requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website.

Fees and funding

The studentship is for 3 years and provides a tax-free stipend at UKRI levels of £19,237 per annum for the duration of the studentship plus university tuition fees.

How to apply

All applications should be made online. Under programme name, select *the school of AACME/ Materials*. Please quote the advertised reference number: *AACME-24-028* in your application.

To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents.

The following selection criteria will be used by academic schools to help them make a decision on your application.

Apply now