This project will follow green chemistry principles to develop biopolymer hydrogels derived from natural molecular components. The project will also develop environmentally compatible chemical and physical modification processes to transform the hydrogels into structures suitable for applications relevant to sustainable development.

Hydrogels are networks of water-soluble polymer chains bound together by chemical couplings so they may take up large amounts of water and yet not be dissolved away. The process of tuning the nature and number of these “crosslink” interactions, and the further modification of the networks, can potentially mimic the phenomenon of biological structure development from soft tissue to, e.g., insect exoskeletons and plant structures. However, current chemical approaches are limited in their abilities to routinely produce hydrogels with sufficient mechanical strength, and both the crosslinking reactions and the chemical modifications required to add further functionality currently require fossil fuel-based reagents and/or conditions incompatible with the environment.

The project will therefore develop biopolymeric hydrogel materials based on green chemistry processes to broadly enable sustainable development and help combat climate change. The materials can also act as superstructures and be further modified to host other functional molecules to enable a wide range of applications. For example, mechanical properties can be tuned for preparing insect-mimetic acoustic sensors, which can be used to monitor sounds and vibrations of buildings, indicating energy usage or environmental issues. The chemical functionality of the hydrogels can also be modified to enable the separation of biomolecules or the capture of toxic species.

The project is part of our new interdisciplinary Leverhulme Doctoral School in Nature-Inspired Acoustics (NIA), and the student could further collaborate with researchers from both chemistry and other departments, including Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Architecture, and Management Science. 

Only applicants who qualify for UK or Scottish Home Fees will be considered. (see Funding Details). However, eligible candidates from all backgrounds, income levels, identities, and experiences are encouraged to apply.

Applicants with either a bachelor’s or Masters degree may apply. Applicants will ordinarily apply for a 4-year PhD scholarship. Talented applicants with less preparation could qualify for a 5-year Master’s + PhD scholarship (see Eligibility).

Apply as soon as possible—applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis starting January 31, 2026. After this date, email to inquire about the availability of the opportunity.