Cardiff University President's Research Scholarship in Engineering: Novel coating technologies for electrical steels (PhD Studentship)
Reference Number: R799
Key Studentship Information
Project Title:Novel coating technologies for electrical steels
Project Description:The aim of this project is to investigate novel coating technologies which could be applied to future generations of electrical steels.
Electrical steels make up more than 97% of all commercial soft magnetic materials. Their performance is critical in the fight to improve efficiency of generators, motors and transformers devices leading to reduced carbon emissions.
One of the major factors that influence their performance is the performance of complex coatings which both insulate the steel laminations from each other in order to limit the generation of eddy currents, and provide a beneficial stress to the steel which can reduce its energy loss and magnetostriction (which is responsible for the characteristic hum of transformers).
Current research in this area consists of incremental development of current coatings but the introduction of new coating technologies offers the greatest scope for improvements in efficiency and noise control.
This project would investigate both completely novel technologies and those not previously applied to electrical steels. Existing technologies, which may include: novel phosphate coatings, sol-gel coatings and ceramics, will be assessed for their applicability. Completely novel techniques, which are described below, would utilise functional layers whose effects could be compounded.
Coating application techniques to be studied include standard dip and roller techniques, extrusion, gravure, PVD, CVD, plating and printing. Particular attention will be applied to the coating/steel interface with the aim of creating a smooth, particle free transition which is essential for low loss material.
Coatings showing initial promise would have their performance assessed by measurement of magnetic, electrical, adhesion and chemical parameters, followed by further investigation through limited pilot line studies with the industrial partner.
The student will have the opportunity to work in laboratories in the School of Chemistry and those of Tata Steel R, D&T industrial laboratories in Rotherham.
Number of Awards: 1
Supervisors: Dr P Anderson, Dr J Hall and Prof S Evans
Start Date 1st October 2012
Funding
The award will cover tuition fees at the Home/EU fee rate and will provide a stipend at the UK Research Council rate (£13,590 in 2012/13) plus an enhancement of £1,000 per annum. Please note that overseas candidates will be required to fund the balance of fees at the overseas fee rate themselves.
Eligibility
Academic Criteria:Candidates should have a first-class honours degree, or a 2.1 plus a postgraduate Masters degree (or their equivalents) in a relevant subject. Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate proficiency in the English language (IELTS 6.5 or equivalent)
Residency: The studentship is open to Home, EU or overseas candidates.
How to Apply
Applications can be made online using our online applications service.
PLEASE ENSURE YOU QUOTE THE STUDENTSHIP REFERENCE NUMBER PS3-PA-2012 ON YOUR APPLICATION. (Please put reference in the “Prospective Supervisor” section).
Application Deadline:10th June 2012
Further Information
For more information please contact Dr P Anderson: AndersonPI1@cf.ac.uk
