Chemical Engineering & Materials Science: Microporous Membranes for Stable and Low-Cost Iron-Sulfur Flow Batteries (RS988)

Funding Providers: The Faraday Institution and Leaf-Tech Ltd 

Subject Area: Chemical Engineering, Chemistry & Materials Science 

Project Start Dates: January 2027 

** (Please see the note below regarding potential later start dates.) 
**In exceptional circumstances, and subject to the discretion of the University and/or the relevant funding body, a deferral of offer may be granted to the next available enrolment period. Such deferral will typically not exceed a duration of three calendar months from the originally stipulated commencement date. Please note that only one deferral may be considered, and any such deferral is not guaranteed. 

Supervisors: 

• Dr Rui Tan rui.tan@swansea.ac.uk
• Dr Anji Munnangi a.r.munnangi@swansea.ac.uk
• Dr Yuanxi Yang  yuanxi.yang@leaf-techltd.com

Aligned programme of study: Chemical Engineering, Ph.D. / M.Phil. 

Mode of study: Full-time 

Place of study: Swansea University (Bay Campus) 

Project description: 
Swansea University is pleased to offer a fully funded PhD studentship as part of the Faraday Institution PhD Training Programme, focused on developing next-generation microporous membranes for low-cost, long-duration iron–sulfur (Fe–S) redox flow batteries. 

Membrane separators are critical to the efficiency and lifetime of redox flow batteries; however, existing commercial membranes suffer from severe active-species crossover, leading to capacity decay and reduced operational efficiency. This project will investigate how the molecular structure, microporosity and chemical functionality of polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) govern ion transport and selectivity in Fe–S battery chemistries. The successful candidate will design and synthesise functional PIMs with tailored sub-nanometre pores, develop solution-processable membranes, and establish quantitative structure–ion transport–battery performance relationships through advanced membrane characterisation and electrochemical testing. 

The project will be hosted by Dr Rui Tan at Swansea University, in close collaboration with Leaf-Tech Ltd, an industrial partner working on the development and scale-up of advanced materials and technologies for energy applications. 

Dr Rui Tan’s research group focuses on functional microporous polymers, selective ion-transport membranes and electrochemical energy storage, with particular expertise in molecularly engineered membranes and their application in redox flow and other emerging battery systems. Leaf-Tech Ltd will support the scale-up and manufacturing of PIM materials and membranes, alongside technical input and industrial mentorship to evaluate their manufacturability, scalability and commercial potential for next-generation flow batteries. 

The successful candidate will undertake an industrial placement with Leaf-Tech Ltd during the PhD, gaining direct experience in polymer and membrane scale-up, manufacturing, process optimisation and industrial R&D challenges associated with translating advanced membrane materials from laboratory discovery towards practical long-duration energy-storage technologies. 

PhD: Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline. 

English Language 
IELTS 6.5 Overall (5.5+ each comp.) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here. 

Note for international and European applicants:  

Details of how your qualification compares to the published academic entry requirements can be found on our Country Specific Entry Requirements page.  

If you have any questions regarding your academic or fee eligibility based on the above, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with the web-link to the scholarship(s) you are interested in. 

Please note that the programme requires some applicants to hold ATAS clearance, further details on ATAS scheme eligibility are available on the UK Government website.  

ATAS clearance IS NOT required to be held as part of the scholarship application process. Successful award winners (as appropriate) are provided with details as to how to apply for ATAS clearance in tandem with a scholarship course offer. 

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27) - October 2026 onwards 

UKRI stipend, all researchers will also receive £2,000 per year to support training and consumables, alongside access to a bespoke Faraday Institution PhD Training Programme valued at approximately £5,000 per year. 

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA (Full list of categories for HE in Wales) 

To apply, please complete the entire application form here. 

Applications may be submitted in Welsh and any application submitted in Welsh will be treated no less favourably than an application submitted in English. Please refer to the University’s Welsh Language Policy on Awarding Grants 

To be cnsidered for this scholarship award the following steps are also required.  

1) In section ‘Programme Related Information’ please input the relevant RS Code for the scholarship award i.e. RS988  

2) In section ‘Research’ you will see ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’* (Mandatory)  

• In ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’ please input: 
  • the RS Code, RS988  
  • the scholarship title  
• Please leave Proposed Supervisor field blank  
• Please leave Research Project (if applicable) blank  
• In ‘Do you have a proposal to upload? *’(Mandatory) Please select Yes  
• Then upload copy of advert (you can save the advert by clicking print, and then print to pdf) 

3) In section ‘Funding information’ please choose the option ‘Scholarship Funding’ only. Please ensure no other options are selected.  

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.  

If you’ve previously applied for this programme, the system will display an “Application Submitted” warning and block a new submission. In this case:  

1. Apply for the same course with the next available start date (e.g., select January if October is unavailable). 
2. Email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with your student number and the relevant scholarship RS code, requesting the start date be amended to match the advert. 
3. Admissions staff will then update your application accordingly.

Important: If you have previously applied for the same programme & intake, do not re‑apply using a different email address. Applications submitted with an email address that differs from the one used in your original application will not be accepted or considered. 

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.  

NOTE: Applicants for PhD/EngD/ProfD/EdD - to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University you are required to complete an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form in addition to your programme application form.    

Please note that completion of the EDI Monitoring Form is mandatory; your application may not progress if this information is not submitted. 

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email):  

• CV 
• Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)  
• A cover letter including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project.  
• One reference (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.  
• Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable - please note that you do not need to hold a valid English Language test at time of application, as any offer made can be conditional upon the appropriate level of English. Please find further information on what we can accept via our English Language policy pages here). 
• Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)  
• Confirmation of EDI form submission 

Informal enquiries are welcome; please contact:  

• Dr Rui Tan rui.tan@swansea.ac.uk  
• Dr Anji Munnangi a.r.munnangi@swansea.ac.uk  
• Dr Yuanxi Yang yuanxi.yang@leaf-techltd.com  

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.