Designing Plastics for Disappearance: AI-Driven Discovery of Degradable Polymers

At Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME), we are passionate about equity, diversity, and inclusion and are dedicated to cultivating a diverse cohort of PhD researchers from a range of academic backgrounds.

AIME is a first-of-its-kind institute that synergistically combines world-leading expertise in membrane biology and novel polymer chemistries. No other institute in the global research and innovation landscape has the platform, potential or promise for major breakthroughs that AIME heralds.

We welcome students from diverse pathways, whether recent graduates or professionals returning to academia.

We are particularly focussed on recruiting and training female scientists in this exciting multi-disciplinary arena, acknowledging current gender disparities. All AIME PhD projects feature:

• Flexible working.
• Comprehensive mentorship for all students.
• Supported opportunities for secondments in international labs.
• Diverse scientific and transferrable skills training, equipping all graduates for leading roles in academia or industry.

Background

Plastics have transformed modern life but created a global environmental crisis, over 450 million tonnes are produced each year, with the majority persisting for centuries in landfills and oceans. The urgent challenge is to design new polymers that not only deliver high performance but also degrade safely and predictably after use. At the same time, these materials must be derived from renewable, bio-based feedstocks to ensure true sustainability.

This PhD project tackles this challenge by combining polymer chemistry, automation, and artificial intelligence to discover degradable polymers from renewable sources. Working within the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) and in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the project will contribute to the creation of an autonomous discovery platform capable of linking polymer structure directly to environmental degradability—pioneering the next generation of sustainable materials.

Aims & Methods

The aim of this project is to develop new environmentally degradable polymers from renewable feedstocks and to explore how their chemical structure influences how and when they break down. To achieve this, the project will combine synthetic polymer chemistry with automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate materials discovery.

You will design and synthesise a library of renewable polymers and evaluate their degradation behaviour under realistic environmental conditions (e.g. water, light, or enzymatic exposure). Using robotic tools and programmable workflows, these experiments will be automated to generate data efficiently and reproducibly. The results will then be analysed using AI and data-driven modelling to uncover key relationships between polymer structure and degradation rate.

This project offers hands-on experience in modern polymer synthesis, materials characterisation, and AI-assisted experimentation, providing excellent interdisciplinary training at the interface of chemistry, engineering, and data science. Working within the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) and in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the student will be part of a vibrant research community developing next-generation sustainable materials and autonomous laboratory technologies.

This three-year studentship offers a comprehensive support package, including fees, a tax-free annual stipend (standard UKRI rate).

Further information can be found here: Financial Requirements | Aston University

PhD programmes are for those who are seeking to develop greater in-depth knowledge in a specific area. Completing this level of study is about making an original contribution to knowledge, making new discoveries and developing lifelong skills. 

At Aston University, our Engineering and Physical Sciences PhD programmes will provide all the support and facilities you will need to develop into a leading researcher in your chosen field.  You will be welcomed into a supportive community with a shared enthusiasm for original research, where diversity and multidisciplinary is championed.

Supervisor: Dr. Sam Parkinson

Associate Supervisors: Dr. Valentin Beyer, Dr. Tony Maxwell

For formal enquiries about this project contact Sam Parkinson at s.parkinson1@aston.ac.uk

Candidates should have been awarded, or expect to achieve, EITHER:

• A Bachelors degree in a relevant subject with an award of First Class or 2.1. 

OR 

• A Bachelors degree in a relevant subject with an award of First Class or 2.1, and a Masters degree in a relevant subject with an award of Merit or higher.

Qualifications from other countries which are considered by Aston University to be equivalent to that described above will be eligible to apply.

Essential Skills:

• A strong background in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, or a related discipline
• Practical laboratory experience in synthetic or material chemistry.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently & collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary research team.
• Strong written & verbal communication skills.

Desired Skills:

• Experience in polymer synthesis or characterisation techniques (e.g. NMR, GPC, FTIR, TGA, DSC).
• Basic knowledge of programming or data analysis (e.g. Python, MATLAB, or R).
• Interest in automation, machine learning, or AI applications in science.
• Familiarity with sustainability or green chemistry principles.

Motivation to develop new skills at the interface of chemistry, engineering, and data science.

We can only consider applications that are complete and have all supporting documents. Applications that do not provide all the relevant documents will be automatically rejected. Your application must include: 

1. English language copies of the transcripts and certificates for all your higher education degrees, including any Bachelor degrees.
    
2. A Research Statement detailing your understanding of the research area, how you would approach the project, and a brief review of relevant literature. Be sure to use the title of the research project you are applying for. There is no set format or word count. 
    
3. A personal statement which outlines any further information which you think is relevant to your application, such as your personal suitability for research, career aspirations, possible future research interests, and further description of relevant employment experience. 
    
4. Two academic referees who can discuss your suitability for independent research. References must be on headed paper, signed and dated no more than 2 years old. At least one reference should be from your most recent University. You can submit your references at a later date if necessary. 
    
5. Evidence that you meet the English Language requirements. If you do not currently meet the language requirements, you can submit this at a later stage. 
    
6. A copy of your passport. Where relevant, include evidence of settled or pre-settled status.

Interviews

Interviews will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. If you are shortlisted, you will be contacted directly with details of the interview.  

Contact information

For formal enquiries about this project, contact Dr Ho Fai Po

Studying a PhD is great route into academia and industries that are centred on research and innovation. Areas with a demand for very high level and specialised research skills often demand PhDs.

In addition to this specialist knowledge, PhD education will help you to develop a set of valuable transferrable skills. The very nature of studying an intensive research degree will enable you to become a team player, develop problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and advanced presentation and communication skills.

The variety of PhD project topics at Aston means that the destinations of our graduates vary substantially. Some choose to continue into academia, at either Aston or other leading institutions, while others go onto use their newly acquired skills in a range of research, healthcare, industry or charitable fields. When selecting your chosen PhD path at Aston, your supervisor will be able to provide you with relevant career opportunities that could be available to you in your specialist area.