A fully-funded PhD studentship is offered by EPSRC through Doctoral Landscape Award. The UK Government has plans to achieve Net-Zero by 2050 and hydrogen energy will play a significant role. Due to the low volumetric density of hydrogen, ammonia has emerged as a promising hydrogen carrier and zero-carbon fuel. The overall aim is to develop a novel direct ammonia fuel cell technology that can efficiently convert ammonia into carbon-free energy. 

In the concept of decarbonisation and renewable energy, hydrogen is considered as the ultimate carbon-free fuel and energy carrier for many applications. However, the fact that pure hydrogen does not exist naturally and has a low volumetric energy density means that hydrogen is faced with immense technical, economical and infrastructure challenges before it can play a major role in decarbonisation. Ammonia (NH3) is an excellent hydrogen carrier as it can be stored at room temperature and relatively low pressure and has a comparable energy density to other liquid fuels. NH3 is already a mass commodity product and enjoys a vast, well-established infrastructure, global trade and distribution network. Most importantly, NH3 can be synthesised by utilising renewable energy sources to lower carbon footprint for the entire life-cycle process of NH3 production and use. One of the key challenges is to convert NH3 into energy efficiently and cleanly, which is what this PhD will address.

This project will develop a direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology for efficient and carbon-free heat and/or power generation. By using a novel catalyst design strategy, the proposed research will transform the use of ammonia in SOFC by directly electro-oxidising ammonia with improved energy efficiency and near-zero NOx emission. The specific objectives are to investigate new electro-catalysts for the conversion of ammonia and evaluate the performance in terms of energy efficiency and NOx formation. 

Cranfield University is a world leading research institution in technology transformation research, particularly in hydrogen and ammonia energy such as sorption enhanced steam methane reforming with hydrogen production and CO2 capture, and direct combustion of hydrogen and ammonia as a fuel for heat, power and high temperature processing, electrochemical conversion of ammonia and CO2 for energy and sustainable fuels production. The student will also be a member of the newly built Hydrogen Integration Incubator, a £69 million hub, enabling hydrogen technology development and commercialisation.

This is a great opportunity to work in a project at the cutting edge of renewable energy and hydrogen energy and to learn cutting-edge techniques in catalyst preparation and characterisation, electro-chemical reaction engineering, and solid oxide fuel cell technologies. The student will receive training from the UKRI-funded doctoral training as well as promoted to participate in entrepreneurial, project management and technique specific training available at Cranfield. Through Hydrogen Incubator Hub, the student will also benefit from interactions with industry partners. 

At a glance

  • Application deadline14 Oct 2026
  • Award type(s)PhD
  • Start date25 Jan 2027
  • Duration of award3 years (full-time)
  • EligibilityUK, EU, Rest of world
  • Reference numberCRAN-0107

Supervisor

1st supervisor: Dr Mingming Zhu
2nd supervisor: Dr Stefano Mori 

Entry requirements

Applicants should have a first- or upper second-class UK honours degree or equivalent. This project would be particularly suited to graduates in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Catalysis, Materials Science, Energy Engineering or a related discipline. We strongly welcome applications from candidates with industrial experience. 

Funding

Sponsored by Sponsored by EPSRC, and Cranfield University, this studentship will provide a stipend of £24,500 (tax free) per annum plus fees and research costs for three years. 

This studentship is open to both UK and international applications. However, we are only permitted to offer a limited number of studentships to applicants from outside the UK.

Funded studentships will only be awarded to exceptional candidates due to the competitive nature of the funding. The funding available does not cover the full cost of the international tuition fees, therefore international candidates must be able to cover the tuition fee difference between the home fee and international fee. 

Sharing data
UKRI would like to have a better understanding of the students its training provision attracts and supports. Diversity information on all applicants/recruits applying for UKRI funded studentships will be shared with UKRI. The data will be aggregated and will not be shared as individual data or used to report on individuals or specific universities. The data will be used to analyse general trends in student populations across UKRI's portfolio.

Diversity and Inclusion at Cranfield

At Cranfield, we value our diverse staff and student community and maintain a culture where everyone can work and study together harmoniously with dignity and respect. This is reflected in our University values of ambition, impact, respect and community. We welcome students and staff from all backgrounds from over 100 countries and support our staff and students to realise their full potential, from academic achievement to mental and physical wellbeing.

We are committed to progressing the diversity and inclusion agenda, for example; gender diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through our Athena SWAN Bronze award and action plan, we are members of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) and Working Families, and sponsors of International Women in Engineering Day. We are also Disability Confident Level 1 Employers and members of the Business Disability Forum.

Our Student Wellbeing and Disability support team provide a range of support and coordinate reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, specific learning differences and mental and physical health conditions. Please contact studentsupport@cranfield.ac.uk for support queries, the information you provide will be confidential.

Cranfield Doctoral Network

Research students at Cranfield benefit from being part of a dynamic, focused and professional study environment and all become valued members of the Cranfield Doctoral Network. This Network brings together both research students and staff, providing a platform for our researchers to share ideas, identify opportunities for collaboration and create smaller communities of practice. It aims to encourage an effective and vibrant research culture, founded upon the diversity of activities and knowledge.

Doctoral Researchers’ Core Development (DRCD) Programme

An important part of the research journey is developing key skills that will benefit a research students research and professional development. As a research student at Cranfield, you will be expected to attend the DRCD programme which comprises of four 1 week units which cover the key stages of your research journey. Workshops are held face to face, providing the opportunity for you to network and collaborate with your peers during these valuable development sessions. For further details visit Cranfield's Doctoral Network.

How to apply

For further information please contact:   

Name: Dr Mingming Zhu
Email: mingming.zhu.152@cranfield.ac.uk

If you are eligible to apply for this studentship, please complete the online application form.