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University of Southampton

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PhD in Coordination Cages for Sensing and Catalytic Decomposition of Chemical Warfare Agents University of Southampton in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Chemistry

Funding

The project is competition funded. No stipend amount or detailed tuition-fee coverage is stated in the provided text; applicants are directed to the University of Southampton fees and funding information.

Deadline

Dec 18, 2026

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Southampton

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Keywords

Chemistry
Chemical Engineering
Materials Science
Catalysis
Coordination Chemistry
Chemical Synthesis
Supramolecular Chemistry
Contaminant Remediation
Photoluminescence
Chemical Sensors
Flow Chemistry

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About this position

This PhD project in chemistry will develop metal-based molecular systems that can both detect chemical warfare agents and catalytically break them down into harmless or less harmful products.

The research focuses on multifunctional coordination cages: discrete polymetallic architectures with tuneable internal cavities and rich host–guest chemistry. These systems will be designed to combine molecular recognition, optical sensing and catalytic remediation within a single platform.

The student will work across synthetic inorganic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, photoluminescence spectroscopy and flow chemistry. The research will investigate how coordination cages recognise hazardous chemical species, produce an optical signal indicating their presence, and facilitate their conversion into benign products.

The project addresses an important defence and security challenge arising from the continued threat posed by chemical warfare agents despite their prohibition under international conventions. Alongside fundamental molecular design, the work aims to move toward practical technologies that could function outside the laboratory.

The longer-term research direction is to translate these molecular processes into integrated, field-deployable systems capable of chemical detection and remediation.

Funding details

The project is competition funded. No stipend amount or detailed tuition-fee coverage is stated in the provided text; applicants are directed to the University of Southampton fees and funding information.

What's required

Applicants should have a 2:1 honours degree. The project requires preparation for research at the interface of synthetic inorganic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, photoluminescence spectroscopy and flow chemistry; specific additional requirements are not stated in the provided text.

How to apply

Review the project and full entry requirements on the University of Southampton project page, then follow the page’s “How to apply” instructions for this Doctor of Philosophy project before 18 December 2026.

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