Huang

[Competition-funded dual award PhD under the UoM-Peking University scheme; funding information is referenced on the dedicated dual-award page.] This PhD studentship is part of the Manchester–Peking dual award scheme and focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of new actinide–ligand multiple bonds, with uranium and thorium chemistry at the centre of the project. Building on preliminary results with a new ligand class in f-element chemistry, the student will work toward unprecedented bonding motifs and the in-depth study of their structure, bonding, and reactivity. The project combines experimental and computational approaches to explore these complexes from several angles. On the experimental side, the student will carry out reactivity studies and use a wide range of advanced characterisation tools, including crystallography, NMR, IR, Raman, UV/Vis/NIR, EPR, magnetometry, and XAS/XANES/RIXS. On the theoretical side, the project includes quantum chemical calculations using both single- and multi-reference methods to support interpretation of the bonding and electronic structure. The student will join a joint supervisory team across two leading institutions. At Manchester, Prof. Steve Liddle leads the synthesis side of the project, with Dr Baker contributing expertise in XAS/XANES/RIXS. At Peking University, Prof. Jiang provides computational expertise and Prof. Huang contributes further synthesis expertise. The project is set within an international, collaborative research environment spanning Manchester and Beijing. Training will include Schlenk and glove-box techniques as well as experience with spectroscopic, magnetic, and computational methods used in modern actinide chemistry.