High-Throughout Materials Discovery and Analysis for Water Contaminant Removal

Water scarcity and contamination are among the most pressing global challenges of our time. Approximately 25% of the global population lives in regions experiencing annual water strees, a number projected to rise significantly by 2050. By then, 25 countries will face extreme water scarcity, withdrawing 80-100% of their available water resources annually. Furthermore, 44 countries are expected to experience high water stress, withdrawing 40-80% of their water resources. Even countries with moderate or low water stress levels will increasingly rely on efficient and sustainable solutions to manage water resources. Water comtaination, remains a critical concern, with pollutants ranging from heavy metals to complex organic molecules, including pharmaceuticals, dyes, and persistent plastics such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Of particular concern are short-chain PFAS, which exhibit high mobility, persistence, and resistance to conventional removal methods. Traditional screening methods of materials and analysis for contaminant removal from water are laborious and slow, limiting progress.

A fully funded PhD studentship is available in collaboration with UL Materials Discovery Institutes (Research – UL Research Institutes) in the area of synthesis and automated analysis in a chemical laboratory focusing on the removing diverse water contaminants, addressing challenges in water treatment and purification.

This project will focus on high-throughput synthesis of porous materials and the development of a proof-of-concept analytical methods for water contaminants removal.

We are seeking a PhD student to focus on developing high-throughput synthesis and analysis by integrating advanced robotics, and AI-driven analytics to enhance materials discovery and analysis processes, enabling the improvmenet of material discovery and the assessment of their performance for water contaminants removal.

The main goal of the project will be to accelerate the discovery and optimization of advanced porous materials and analytical method by developing a high-througput workflows for water contaminant removal.

We are looking for candidates with an enthusiasm for research, multidisciplinary collaboration and tackling challenging problems through teamwork. We are targeting candidates with an BSc and MSc in chemistry, chemical engineering or engineering for this post.

The project will be based in the materials discovery research group led by Prof Andy Cooper (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/cooper-group/). The project will be aligned with the EPSRC funded AI for Chemistry Hub (AIchemy) (aichemy). The project will also have access to unique facilities in the state-of-the-art Materials Innovation Factory at the University of Liverpool (https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/materials-innovation-factory). You will be part of a multi-disciplinary team and will interact with computational chemists, synthetic chemists, and also engineers and computer scientists developing the use of robots in the materials chemistry laboratory.

You do not need to have a strong background in chemistry, but a willingness to learn basic concepts, ontologies, and definitions is a requirement.

Entry Requirements

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a good degree (equivalent to a UK First or Upper Second Class degree) in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering or other relevant discipline.