PhD Scholarship: Photovoltaic–electrocatalytic integrated devices for solar fuels and chemicals Imperial College London in United Kingdom

Imperial College London is offering a funded PhD scholarship in the Department of Chemical Engineering on photovoltaic–electrocatalytic integrated devices for solar fuels and chemicals. The project sits at the intersection of solar chemistry, chemical engineering, applied physics, and materials science, and aims to develop integrated photoelectrochemical devices that directly convert sunlight into fuels and value-added chemicals.

The research will focus on coupling high-performance light absorbers with electrocatalysts to drive chemical reactions under solar illumination. A major challenge addressed by the project is how to integrate efficient photovoltaic materials, including emerging organic and halide-perovskite semiconductors, with aqueous electrochemical environments while preserving performance and stability. The student will work on conductive and chemically robust interfaces, catalytic layers, and catalyst–electrode architectures designed to reduce electrical and optical losses, improve product selectivity, and understand the mechanisms that control long-term device stability.

Training will include photovoltaic device fabrication, materials synthesis, electrochemistry, spectroscopy, microscopy, and testing under simulated sunlight. Likely target reactions include solar hydrogen production and the conversion of abundant feedstocks into useful chemicals. The broader goal is to establish design principles for efficient, durable, and scalable integrated solar-to-chemical systems that can operate without an external electrical power supply.

The scholarship is open to applicants regardless of fee status and covers full tuition fees plus a tax-free maintenance contribution of £25,000 per year for 42 months. The project is based in the Department of Chemical Engineering, which offers advanced research training and access to strong experimental and computational facilities, including the Automated High-Throughput Platform Suite, the Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering, and the Sustainable Futures Lab.

Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related discipline; a master’s qualification in one of these areas is also welcomed. Excellent English is required. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Prof Salva Eslava before applying.

The application deadline information lists multiple selection rounds: 1 November 2026, 11 January 2027, and 1 March 2027 (subject to scholarship availability). Applications must be submitted through Imperial College London’s online admissions system.