PhD - Designing Plastics for Disappearance: AI-Driven Discovery of Degradable Polymers

About the Role

Plastics have transformed modern life but created a global environmental crisis, over 450 million tonnes are produced each year, with the majority persisting for centuries in landfills and oceans. The urgent challenge is to design new polymers that not only deliver high performance but also degrade safely and predictably after use. At the same time, these materials must be derived from renewable, bio-based feedstocks to ensure true sustainability. This PhD project tackles this challenge by combining polymer chemistry, automation, and artificial intelligence to discover degradable polymers from renewable sources. Working within the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) and in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the project will contribute to the creation of an autonomous discovery platform capable of linking polymer structure directly to environmental degradability—pioneering the next generation of sustainable materials.

Aims & Methods - The aim of this project is to develop new environmentally degradable polymers from renewable feedstocks and to explore how their chemical structure influences how and when they break down. To achieve this, the project will combine synthetic polymer chemistry with automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate materials discovery. You will design and synthesise a library of renewable polymers and evaluate their degradation behaviour under realistic environmental conditions (e.g. water, light, or enzymatic exposure). Using robotic tools and programmable workflows, these experiments will be automated to generate data efficiently and reproducibly. The results will then be analysed using AI and data-driven modelling to uncover key relationships between polymer structure and degradation rate. This project offers hands-on experience in modern polymer synthesis, materials characterisation, and AI-assisted experimentation, providing excellent interdisciplinary training at the interface of chemistry, engineering, and data science. Working within the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) and in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the student will be part of a vibrant research community developing next-generation sustainable materials and autonomous laboratory technologies.

About You

Candidates should have been awarded, or expect to achieve, EITHER: A Bachelors degree in a relevant subject with an award of First Class or 2.1. OR A Bachelors degree in a relevant subject with an award of First Class or 2.1, and a Masters degree in a relevant subject with an award of Merit or higher. Qualifications from other countries which are considered by Aston University to be equivalent to that described above will be eligible to apply. Essential Skills: A strong background in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, or a related discipline Practical laboratory experience in synthetic or material chemistry. Good analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to work independently & collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary research team. Strong written & verbal communication skills. Desired Skills: Experience in polymer synthesis or characterisation techniques (e.g. NMR, GPC, FTIR, TGA, DSC). Basic knowledge of programming or data analysis (e.g. Python, MATLAB, or R). Interest in automation, machine learning, or AI applications in science. Familiarity with sustainability or green chemistry principles. Motivation to develop new skills at the interface of chemistry, engineering, and data science.

Link to apply : For formal enquiries about this project contact Sam Parkinson at [email protected]

About Us

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK.

NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we hold memberships and accreditations to ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome, please see our Diversity & Inclusion page.

We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of benefits . Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success.

To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.