Cranfield University is seeking highly motivated and accomplished EngD students to conduct cutting-edge research in the degradation of materials at high temperature. We offer a fully funded program in which Students will receive a 4-year studentship including home tuition fees, UKRI stipend (indicated as £21,383 in 26-27). The project requires close interaction with Rolls-Royce and a temporary placement to gain experience at Rolls-Royce.
Carbon-neutral long-haul flights are decades away from becoming a reality, so even modest improvements in jet engine efficiency and degradation have the best cumulative impact to mitigate CO2 by 2050.
Despite extensive research on turbine alloys, gaps remain in understanding how contaminants drive damage on superalloys. Evidence increasingly suggests that corrosion is accelerated by transient liquid phases formed through chemical reactions between contaminants and bare alloys. Being able to predict when and where these phases form would allow earlier identification of cracking risk, even where experimental data are limited.
Project Overview
This EngD will develop a thermodynamic modelling framework to predict the formation of damaging liquid phases in turbine materials exposed to fuel contaminants. The work will focus on contaminant species such as K, Na, and Ca, in combination with S, F, and O, across relevant temperature ranges.
The project will:
- Model contaminant–alloy reactions using thermodynamic methods.
- Rank corrosion risk as a function of chemistry and temperature.
- Identify previously unrecognised high-risk conditions.
- Support targeted experimental validation and microstructural characterisation.
Why This EngD?
- Industrial relevance: Conducted in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, with direct relevance to real engine materials and operating conditions.
- Interdisciplinary training: Combines thermodynamics, materials science, corrosion, and modelling.
- High impact: Outcomes may inform materials selection and lifetime assessment, helping to avoid costly in-service degradation.
- Transferable skills: Methods and insights applicable to other extreme environments (e.g. power generation, nuclear, renewables).
Candidate Background
Applicants from materials science, metallurgy, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or related disciplines are encouraged to apply. Experience with thermodynamics, corrosion, computational modelling, or high-temperature materials is beneficial but not required - training will be provided.
We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive research environment.
At a glance
- Application deadline25 Mar 2026
- Award type(s)EngD
- Start date28 Sep 2026
- Duration of award4 years (full-time)
- EligibilityUK, Rest of world
- Reference numberCRAN-0057
Supervisor
1st Supervisor: Dr Gustavo Castelluccio
Entry requirements
Applicants should have a first or second class UK honours degree or equivalent in a related discipline.Funding
This project is funded by the Doctoral Landscape Award by UKRI through Cranfield University.
We offer a fully funded program in which Students will receive a 4-year studentship including home tuition fees, UKRI stipend (indicated as £21,383 in 26-27). The project requires close interaction with Rolls-Royce and a temporary placement to gain experience at Rolls-Royce.
Diversity and Inclusion at Cranfield
We are committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion in our CDT program, and warmly encourage applications from students of all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups. We particularly welcome students with disabilities, neurodiverse individuals, and those who identify with diverse ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses. Cranfield strives to provide an accessible and inclusive environment to enable all doctoral candidates to thrive and achieve their full potential.
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 and Stonewall University Champions Programme.
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 and collaborate in a multi-disciplinary environment. It aims to encourage an effective and vibrant research culture, founded upon the diversity of activities and knowledge. A tailored programme of seminars and events, alongside our Doctoral Researchers Core Development programme (transferable skills training), provide those studying a research degree with a wealth of social and networking opportunities.
How to apply
For further information please contact:
Email: castellg@cranfield.ac.uk
Please note that applications will be reviewed as they are received. Therefore, we encourage early submission, as the position may be filled before the stated deadline.
