Key Information
Academic Supervisors: Professor Cameron Pleydell-Pearce, Dr Hollie Cockings
Industry Supervisor: Martyn Dranfield
Expected Interview Date: May 2022
Background:
Decarbonisation strategies are being rolled out by the World’s top steel producers to address climate change. This will support a move away from traditional steelmaking and rolling technologies to adopt lower carbon emitting processes. One proposal is the adoption of the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Mini-mill configuration for flat steel production. The first plant started production in 1989 and has grown to more than 60 reference plants worldwide. These plants couple EAF technology with thin slab casting, in order to maximise recyclability and minimise energy usage compared to traditional integrated plant layouts.
The move to thin slab casting (typically <90 mm thick) from traditional thick slab casting (200-300 mm) reduces the reduction ratio to final product thickness, and removes the cooling, followed by reheating phase, seen in integrated plants. This forms ‘as-cast’ grain structures which do not fully recrystallise post-rolling, yielding heterogenous grain structures in the final product; these are detrimental to mechanical properties, including toughness values.
Project Aims:
- Investigate the impact of low reduction ratios on hot and cold rolled substrates, for high strength automotive coated steel mechanical properties.
- Develop a process route to mimic the impact of casting and rolling above Ar3, the Upper Critical Temperature (whereby austenitic phase begins to transform into ferrite).
- Evaluate strategies to reduce the impact on, or improve, the mechanical property capability of high strength coated steels through metallurgical and process design with the above constraints, to support stringent automotive requirements for coated steels.
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COATED M2A recognises applicants have a variety of backgrounds with different educational and research experiences. We do not expect applicants to be proficient users of any techniques /equipment mentioned, at the time of application. Our focus is to upskill our participants and training will be provided.
COATED M2A in the Faculty of Science and Engineering is a Swansea University initiative which provides postgraduate research training in partnership with industry, providing access to world class laboratories and a wealth of academic and industry expertise. The M2A is committed to providing top quality research opportunities within an inclusive environment, funded by the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Swansea University and Industry partners.
Interwoven through the research study are business, technical and entrepreneurial courses, designed to support and prepare participants for a senior role in industry or academia, on completion of their studies.
The Athena SWAN charter recognises work undertaken by institutions to advance gender equality. The College of Engineering is an Athena SWAN bronze award holder and is committed to addressing unequal gender representation. Applications from women and other under-represented groups are particularly welcomed. All applications will be anonymised prior to short listing.
Are you considering making an application and have questions you’d like answered? Come and have a 1-2-1 chat with us at our applicant surgeries (Link). We encourage all applicants to review our hints and tips document found here.
Sponsoring Company: TATA Steel UK https://www.tatasteeleurope.com/
Eligibility
Candidates must normally hold a minimum undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University), or a combination of degree and equivalent experience to the same level.
The project will lend themselves to a student with a background in engineering, material science or physical sciences; keen to explore the impact of decarbonisation strategies on steel metallurgy.
Normally, we would expect candidates to have met the University’s English Language requirements (e.g., IELTS 6.5 overall with 5.5+ in each component) by point of application.
Full eligibility can be found at https://www.materials-academy.co.uk/eligibility
Funding
EngD Only – Fees at UK rate and Stipend £20,000.00, both for the period of four years.
For full details on funding eligibility, please refer to the Materials and Manufacturing Academy (M2A) Website. Student Eligibility | M2A (materials-academy.co.uk).
Candidates must have the legal right to live/work in the UK at the start of their studies (student visas do not apply).
Closing Date: 3rd April 2022
Start Date: 1st October 2022
Applications and informal enquiries about this studentship should be directed by email to: