PhD in Chemical Recycling of Nitrile Gloves for Circular End-of-Life Solutions in Single-Use PPE Waste University of Bath in United Kingdom

The University of Bath's Department of Chemistry and Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change invite applications for a fully-funded, 3.5-year PhD studentship focused on the chemical recycling of nitrile gloves, aiming to develop a circular end-of-life solution for single-use PPE waste. This project, starting in March 2026 and subject to contract, is in collaboration with Unigloves UK Ltd®, a leading manufacturer and distributor of nitrile gloves. The widespread use of disposable nitrile gloves in healthcare, laboratories, manufacturing, and food-handling sectors is due to their chemical inertness and robustness, which also makes them challenging to recycle in an environmentally and cost-effective manner.

The PhD project seeks to address these challenges by developing scalable, closed-loop chemical recycling processes for nitrile gloves, building on preliminary work at the Innovation Centre for Applied Sustainable Technologies (iCAST). Key objectives include optimizing catalytic degradation of the polymer into soluble oligomers, investigating repolymerization routes to reform the polymers, and conducting preliminary techno-economic and sustainability assessments on scaled-up trials to evaluate commercial viability and environmental impact.

As a student, you will work in state-of-the-art interdisciplinary polymer chemistry labs at Bath, under the supervision of Dr. Jon Husband and Professor Matthew Jones, with additional input from Unigloves® on commercialization. The project offers comprehensive training in polymer chemistry, catalysis, materials characterization, and processing, as well as exposure to sustainability assessment, scale-up considerations, and industrial R&D. You will be embedded within both the Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change, benefiting from interdisciplinary training and access to expertise in chemistry, life-cycle assessment, systems analysis, and chemical and mechanical engineering.

The studentship covers tuition fees, a UKRI stipend (£20,780 p.a., 2025/26 rate), and a budget for research and training. It is open to both Home and International students; however, international applicants should note that funding does not cover relocation costs, student visa fees, or the UK healthcare surcharge.

Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or Upper Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent) in Chemistry or a related discipline. Prior experience in catalysis or polymer chemistry is helpful but not essential, as curiosity, rigor, and a desire to learn are highly valued. Non-UK applicants must meet the University of Bath's English language entry requirements. The University of Bath is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and encourages applications from under-represented groups. If you have circumstances that have affected your educational attainment, you are invited to include a short paragraph about this in your personal statement.

Informal enquiries are encouraged and should be directed to Dr Jon Husband ([email protected]) and/or Prof. Matthew Jones ([email protected]). Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Chemistry. For further details, visit the project page: FindAPhD Project Link.