PhD Studentship in High Performance titanium alloy (Fixed Term)

Funder: EPSRC and Rolls-Royce plc

Duration: 3.5 years

Supervisors: Professor Nick Jones and Dr Nicole Church Start Date: October 2025 Closing Date: 16 May 2025 (position may be filled earlier if a suitable candidate is found)

Stipend: £20,780 per annum plus £5,500 industry top-up

Fees: Home rate; international applicants must cover the difference between home and overseas fees

The Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge invites applications for a PhD studentship focused on developing a next-generation α+ß titanium alloy for aerospace applications. This industry-linked project, in collaboration with Rolls-Royce plc, will be based within the Structural Materials Group under the supervision of Prof. Nick Jones and Dr Nicole Church.

Ti6Al-4V has been the aerospace industry's standard titanium alloy due to its strong balance of properties and low density. However, future aerospace designs demand materials with enhanced performance. Recent research suggests that reducing solute content can improve work hardening behavior while maintaining high yield stress, increasing energy absorption¿an essential feature for aerospace applications. This project aims to deepen the understanding of how alloy composition influences properties and processability in solute-lean titanium alloys.

The research will involve:

•  Alloy production via arc melting, hot rolling, and simulated forging trials
•  Microstructural characterisation using electron microscopy (SEM & TEM), X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry
•  Mechanical performance assessment, including small-scale tensile testing and in situ testing at Diamond Light Source

The studentship is fully funded for 3.5 years, covering University fees for eligible UK applicants. International candidates are welcome but must fund the fee difference. Applicants should hold (or expect to obtain) a strong Master's degree in Metallurgy, Materials Science, Physics, or Chemistry.

The Structural Materials Group is a diverse, dynamic team researching alloy design, phase transformations, micromechanical behavior, and processing-microstructure-property relationships across aerospace, automotive, energy, defense, and biomedical sectors. 

Further details on postgraduate study and international fees: www.admin.cam.ac.uk/students/gradadmissions/prospec

Applications should be submitted via the University Application Portal: www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/apply . Early applications are encouraged as the position may be filled before the deadline.

For informal enquiries, please contact: structuralmaterials@msm.cam.ac.uk