PhD Studentship: Development of new antimicrobial materials for industrial 3D printing applications

This project provides an annual stipend of £19,237. 

Project advert

New and effective methods for controlling the spread of disease are in high demand. Antimicrobial materials are capable of killing or repelling microbes on their surface which is an important possible contribution to solving this problem. 3D printing, in particular laser sintering, is now widely used in industry to make end-use parts but is limited by the restricted choice of materials and added functionality, especially for high-performance applications.

This project aims to develop new methods of creating antimicrobial materials for 3D printing, by incorporating bioactive additives – as developed in our previous work – into commercially available engineering-grade polymers (such as polyamide 12) using Laser Sintering.

We will investigate new methods of introducing antimicrobial functionality into laser sintered parts using novel additives and coatings, both incorporating bioactive materials into the part and modifying the surface. The resulting materials will be tested for their engineering (mechanical, microstructure, surface morphology) and chemical (bulk composition, additive dispersion) properties, and antibacterial functionality (biofilm formation, cell viability).

The new antimicrobial materials that we will develop will be compatible with existing industry-standard laser sintering machines that can be optimised for a variety of biomedical applications (e.g. post-rehabilitation devices for wound healing and surgical devices for example cover plates).

Project aims and objectives

Aim: To develop and evaluate new additives/fillers for incorporation into polymer Laser Sintering materials, to be used to create intrinsically antimicrobial printed parts.

Objectives

• To identify which polymer base material would be most suitable for the addition of antimicrobial properties; to identify and create suitable additives and powder base materials for Laser Sintering (LS).
• To manufacture microcomposite parts using LS, optimising the machine parameters and characterising the parts created.
• To develop and use suitable methods to determine the antimicrobial efficacy of the microcomposite parts.
• To identify potential proof of concept applications of the antimicrobial material.

Specific requirements of the candidate

This represents an opportunity to join the Faculty of Science and Engineering’s growing doctoral research community, committed to excellent research with impact. Successful applicants will be active researchers in our new state-of-the-art £117M labs and Dalton Building facilities, and will be supported to develop their skills as independent researchers.

Essential:

• Honours degree (first or 2:1) or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science, or other programme with a focus on material testing and characterisation.

Desirable:

• Experience with Additive Manufacturing (ideally Laser Sintering).
• Experience or interest in Microbiology testing.
• Experience with medical devices or clinical applications.

How to apply

Interested applicants should contact Dr. James Wingham (j.wingham@mmu.ac.uk) for an informal discussion.

To apply you will need to complete the online application form for a full-time PhD in Engineering (or download the PGR application form).

You should also complete the Narrative CV form demonstrating how the skills you have map to the project’s aims and objectives, to the area of research and why you see this area as being of importance and interest.

If applying online, you will need to upload your statement in the supporting documents section, or email the application form and statement to PGRAdmissions@mmu.ac.uk.

Closing date: 14 October 2024. Expected start date: January 2025 for Home students and April 2025 for International students. 

Please quote the reference: SciEng-2024-Antimicrobial-Materials-3D

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