Project details
A PhD studentship is available within the Particle Microfluidics Group at the Department of Chemical Engineering of Loughborough University to synthesise composite biodegradable microcapsules with tailored properties using state-of-the-art microfluidic technology.

Microfluidic technology offers unprecedented opportunities for the reproducible production of polymer microcapsules with highly controlled size, shape and morphology using tiny volumes of reagents and precise microchannel geometry. Mechanical and functional properties of microcapsules can be tailored by incorporating various nanoparticles within the host polymer such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and inorganic oxides such as TiO2, ZnO, and Fe3O4.

The objectives of this project are:

to synthesize novel microspheres and core/shell microcapsules with controlled morphology, size, surface charge, and chemical structure from biodegradable and biocompatible polymers using innovative microfluidic technologies
to modify capsule properties by incorporating functional nanoparticles in the polymer matrix
to characterise microcapsules for their chemical, thermal, morphological, and mechanical properties, and (iv) to investigate the encapsulation and controlled/triggered release of encapsulated drugs, cells, enzymes and other functional ingredients from the fabricated microcapsules
The successful candidate will use analytical and microscopy techniques (DSC, TGA, FT-IR, SEM, EDX, XRD, TEM, fluorescence microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy) to investigate physical and chemical properties of the microcapsules and their encapsulation and release behaviour.

You will need to book the accommodation after you have been accepted.

You can choose to live on campus or off campus in private accommodation.

• Make a booking online after you have been accepted (in this case please let us know your choice when you apply).
• Register when you arrive - its not possible to reserve a room before arriving. You can arrive a few days before and book it