PhD Research Project: Fundamental Understanding of Mechanical Cleaning

Academic Supervisor: Prof S Bakalis (University of Birmingham)
Industrial Supervisor: M Groombridge (P&G Newcastle Innovation Centre)

A tax-free bursary of £18,800 p.a. plus tuition fees is paid.

Industrial Sponsor
P&G is a global consumer goods company with many individual brands, each serving customers in different ways – but all with a focus on making peoples’ lives a little easier. Currently, 21 brands have annual sales of $1 billion or more, and a global R&D organization drives the innovation behind these products – with more than 41,000 active patents.

Project Background
Many of P&G’s biggest brands rely on mechanical action for cleaning – be it scrubbing a surface in the kitchen, brushing teeth or washing skin. In such a task, the material being removed is typically a complex multiphase system and the cleaning process is governed by the various interactions of surface, material, chemistry and cleaning implement. Due to the complexity of these interactions, some products are designed with only an empirical understanding on how they will perform in real use. Therein lies the opportunity for this project: by understanding these complex interactions, P&G can better design the products that serve billions of people every day.

Project Objective and Approach
The final focus will depend on the skills of the Research Engineer employed; themes could include:
• Obtaining a fundamental understanding of the change of cohesive properties of different biopolymers (e.g. carbohydrates, protein-carbohydrate mixtures) as a function of the microstructure. This will be done using a range of experimental and modelling techniques.
• Using state of the art methods (AFM, micromanipulation, microscopy) to characterise biopolymer-surface interactions.
• Developing methods that will define cleaning kinetics as a function of the soil properties.
• Developing empirical and first-principles models which enable prediction of performance effects.
• Designing novel experimental equipment to enable the above.

Funding Notes

Funding is available for EU/UK students only. It is anticipated that the EngD will include work both at the University of Birmingham and at the sponsor’s site. Applicants should have obtained an Honours Degree or equivalent at 2.1 or above in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or related disciplines.

Enquiries about the research project should be addressed to Professor Serafim Bakalis (s.bakalis@bham.ac.uk) along with your CV