PhD in Chemical Engineering: Polymer Microstructure, Acrylic Resins, and Biosourced Monomers Queen's University in Canada

PhD research opportunity in Chemical Engineering at Queen's University with Professor Robin Hutchinson in the area of polymer science, materials science, and chemistry. The projects are centered on industrially relevant polymerization and sustainable materials design, with a strong focus on acrylic resins, polymer microstructure, and biosourced monomers.

Two project directions are highlighted: (1) Manipulation of polymer microstructure through controlled branching, where the group aims to expand polymer architectures, reduce solvent content, and improve process efficiency in acrylic resin manufacture; and (2) Incorporation of biosourced monomers to acrylic resins, where the goal is to increase sustainable content by replacing petroleum-based feedstocks with bioderived monomers while maintaining useful polymerization performance.

The Hutchinson Research Group works in polymer reaction engineering, radical polymerization, copolymerization, polymerization kinetics, and sustainable bio-based materials. The broader research environment includes modeling and simulation, industrially relevant process conditions, and collaboration with academic and industrial partners. This makes the opportunity especially relevant for students interested in advanced polymer processing, green engineering, and sustainable materials development.

The post indicates a PhD start date of September 2026. No explicit funding package, tuition coverage, or scholarship name is stated in the post. Interested applicants should contact [email protected] and review the faculty profile and research group information for project details.

Ideal background areas include chemical engineering, polymer science, materials science, chemistry, and environmental science, especially for applicants interested in acrylic resins, controlled branching, biosourced monomers, and sustainable polymer synthesis.