Bio-renewable Routes to Sustainable Liquid Fuels

Background: Certain aspects of transportation, air travel in particular, remain significant contributors to climate change, but are extremely difficult to decarbonise. Whilst the motor transportation industry is undergoing a revolution as Li-ion battery technology replaces fossil-derived liquid fuels, this is not possible for aviation fuel as the power-to-weight ratio of today’s batteries are too low. This is an increasingly urgent issue since the aviation sector is expected to continue to grow, raising its impact on global warming unless (close to) net zero flying can be developed. Since today there are no alternative fuels with sufficient energy density compatible with aviation needs, it is crucial to develop drop-in replacement hydrocarbon fuels derived from sustainable resources, such as biomass.

Although sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) also generate carbon dioxide during combustion, using appropriately-chosen sources of biomass in their production offers the ability to recycle carbon in a closed loop manner, absorbing carbon during production and releasing it upon use, thus minimising net emissions maintaining a balance in atmospheric carbon levels. However, the scale, availability and diversity of biomass feedstocks are significant hurdles, which means that a wide range of different biorenewable feeds are needed and hence a spectrum of chemical conversion methods are required to produce aviation grade SAFs.

Project: This project will focus on the development of processes for the selective, atom-economic synthesis of both saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons with chain lengths in the SAFs range (C12-C16) from bio-derived feedstocks. The principal focus will be the development of highly selective integrated catalytic processes operating in a cascade fashion, starting with sustainable bio-derived alcohols and catalytic pyrolysis products. Sustainable metals (earth-abundant and/or close-loop-recycled precious metals) and structured inorganic oxides will provide the basis for the multifunctional catalysts needed for the challenging cascade conversion. This project will be co-supervised by Professor Phil Dyer and Dr Russell Taylor. Catalyst design will build on prior state-of-the-art work from the Dyer and Taylor groups. Building on their long-standing experience of biomass conversion and upgrading, a range of technologies for the manufacture of bio-derived SAFs will be developed.

The successful candidate will be a member of both Dyer and Taylor groups, and benefit from being part of the Chemistry for Sustainability theme within the Department. Training will be provided in underpinning areas of homo- and hetero-geneous catalysis, inorganic materials synthesis, catalyst characterisation methods, catalyst testing (batch and flow reactors), and elements of process design and analysis.

This project is part of the EPSRC CDT ReNU ⁺ , a collaborative doctoral training programme run by the Universities of Northumbria, Newcastle and Durham which provides added-value training opportunities through a 4-year training programme alongside individual scientific research project.

For informal enquiries please contact Prof Phil Dyer: [email protected]

Eligibility Requirements:

• A minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree in Chemistry (MChem), or 2:1 minimum BSc/BA in Chemistry plus a Masters in Chemistry (MSc) with at least a merit, or International equivalent Regional Pages - Durham University
• Experience in the undertaking of synthetic laboratory-based practical work and a good understanding of Health and Safety requirements essential for working in a synthetic chemistry laboratory.
• Appropriate English Language qualifications ( Direct Entry Band E - Durham University ), if required.
• Applicants cannot apply if they are already a PhD holder or if currently engaged in Doctoral study at Durham or elsewhere.
• Must be able to commit to campus-based full-time or part-time study.

To be classed as a Home student, candidates must:

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• have settled status, or
• have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

If a candidate does not meet the criteria above, they would be classed as an International student.  Visa information for International students can be found here https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/international/visa-information/ .

International applicants (including EU) are required to hold valid, non-Student Route immigration permission to live and study in the UK if they wish to study on a part-time basis as Durham University does not sponsor part-time, Student Route visas.

Applicants will need to be in the UK and fully enrolled before stipend payments can commence and be aware of the following additional costs that may be incurred, as these are not covered by the studentship.

• Immigration Health Surcharge https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application
• If you need to apply for a Student Visa to enter the UK, please refer to https://www.gov.uk/student-visa . It is important that you read this information carefully as it is your responsibility to ensure that you hold the correct funds required for your visa application, otherwise your visa may be refused.
• Costs associated with English Language requirements which may be required for students not having completed a first degree in English, will not be paid by the University.

Modes of study

Full time or Part Time at 0.6 Full Time Equivalent at Durham. (see note for international students)

How to apply

For further details on how to apply, and the link to Durham’s Postgraduate Application portal, see

https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/how-to-apply/

In the Postgraduate Application portal apply for the H1A601 PhD Renewable Energy Northeast Universities (EPSRC RENU CDT) Course. When completing the form on the application portal:

• On the funding tab select ‘yes’ you are applying for a scholarship, select ‘Other’, write RENU/DYER in the name of the scholarship, and select 1st October 2025 as the start date. No scholarship documents are required.
• On the project course details tab write RENU/DYER in Field of Study.

In addition to completing the form on the Postgraduate Application portal, ensure you upload the following additional documents to the portal:

1.        A completed ReNU Plus Competency Assessment Form in the place of a proposal. Please read further instructions within the form.

2.        Curriculum Vitae (CV).

3.        Two satisfactory academic references.

4.       Any other required documentation as listed on https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/how-to-apply/

Please ensure you follow all these steps to ensure your application is considered.

By submitting your application to ReNU+ you are agreeing for your data to be used as described in the ReNU+ privacy notice.

Deadline for applications: 3 February 2025

Start date of course: 1 October 2025