PHD studentship: Synthesis, characterisation, and/or modelling of hydrogen storage materials

Area

Engineering

Location

UK Other

Closing Date

Thursday 19 March 2026

Reference

ENG302

We are recruiting highly motivated and enthusiastic doctoral students in the field of synthesis, characterisation and/or modelling of next generation materials for hydrogen storage and compression at the University of Nottingham. We are seeking applications to join our multidisciplinary team of currently 8 academics, 7 research fellows, and 15 PhD students investigating novel multinary Reactive Hydride Composites and phases with enhanced hydrogen density for hydrogen storage, increased ion mobility for hydrogen storage as well as solid ion conductors and low enthalpy metal hydrides for hydrogen compressors. The PhDs will cover a wide range of skill sets and range from experimental work on synthesis, characterisation to the modelling of hydrogen metal reactions. For funding reasons we are particularly looking for UK applicants.

Efficient energy storage of hydrogen and hydrogen rich carriers is of utter importance for future zero carbon economies, and there is an exciting opportunity to join our hydrogen research team to investigate novel energy materials for the compact storage and/or compression of hydrogen. The role holders will investigate hydrogen reaction properties of metal hydrides, complex hydrides, their composites, and analyse, characterise, or model t

he reaction pathways and the properties of involved phases.

The role holders must have very good knowledge and expertise in material physics and/or chemistry or computational solid-state physics/ chemistry. Candidates with experience in the synthesis, the characterisation and performance testing or modelling of metal hydrides, complex hydrides and/or their composites will be given preference. Knowledge of and experience in the characterisation of fast ionic conductors is welcome. These works are part of a larger project on which several PhD students and postdocs will work and will be conducted in collaboration with other researchers at the University of Nottingham as well as other international groups and research facilities. Therefore, we are seeking good team players. Furthermore, the research will involve periods working at our partner’s labs or synchrotron and neutron research facilities.

There are a number of initiatives to support early career researcher with different life experiences to ensure everyone is able to flourish (e.g. mentoring, incubating new ideas, flexible working, support and guidance when applying for prestigious fellowships or grants to take your ideas forward).

The role holders will work closely with Professors Martin Dornheim, David Grant or Sanliang Ling and the hydrogen storage team at Nottingham and research labs and partner institutions world-wide. As part of their career developments, they will be exposed to many exciting fundamental and applied projects that the group is involved with. We strongly support all our researchers to present their work at national or international conferences and there is budget allocated for this.

The funding is from Leverhulme Trust and will be for up to 4 years depending on start time and candidate. The tax-free stipend is £20,622 (October 2025) and increments annually.

Please send your CV to Prof. Martin Dornheim

martin.dornheim@nottingham.ac.uk

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

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