PhD+: Upcycling Waste PVC into Advanced Membrane Materials for Water Separation Applications

Background
The global membrane separation technology market is experiencing rapid growth due to increasing demand for clean water, stricter environmental regulations, and advancements in membrane materials. Many manufacturing processes generate waste materials that cannot easily be recycled into the original process or repurposed for other applications. In collaboration with industrial sponsor Amtico Ltd., a leading luxury vinyl flooring manufacturer, this project will develop new membrane materials for water filtration and separation applications using currently difficult-to-recycle plastic obtained directly from the manufacturing line.

Aims & Methods
This project aims to develop sustainable, high-performance membrane materials from Amtico non-recyclable PVC waste for water separation applications using innovative fabrication techniques and material engineering approaches.

The aim of this project is to transform difficult-to-recycle polyvinyl chloride (PVC) waste into robust membrane materials for water separation applications. This project seeks to create scalable membrane products with enhanced performance, such as optimised hydrophobicity, porosity, mechanical robustness, and long‑term stability.

You will explore a range of fabrication routes, including electrospinning to produce hydrophobic membranes and solution‑processing/casting to create mechanically strong support layers, to tailor the characteristics of the repurposed PVC. These materials will be studied using modern analytical techniques to understand how processing conditions influence critical membrane properties such as pore structure, surface wettability, strength, and integrity under operational stresses.

Through this work, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of these new materials to enable the creation of next‑generation water treatment materials derived from waste PVC. This project will not only support circular economy goals but also help establish viable, value‑added applications for materials that may otherwise enter landfill.
 

This studentship includes a bursary to cover the fees, plus an annual maintenance allowance of £20,780. 

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 Matthew Derry

Associate Supervisor: Prof. Paul Topham

For formal enquiries about this project contact Dr Matthew Derry at m.derry@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:
•    Strong practical laboratory skills and confidence in experimental work
•    Knowledge of polymer science or materials science
•    Ability to think critically, analyse data, and solve problems independently
•    Excellent communication and teamwork skills

Desirable experience:
•    Familiarity with membrane materials and/or plastics
•    Experience with techniques such as FTIR, SEM and mechanical testing 
•    Interest in sustainability, industrial collaboration, membrane science, or circular economy principles
 

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.  

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.