Postgraduate research
Reclamation of critical minerals in battery and other sustainable technologies
Qualification: PhD
Department: School of Chemistry
Application deadline: 23 March 2026
Start date: 21 September 2026
Overview
Supervisors:
- Dr Jake Yang jake.yang@le.ac.uk
- Professor Andy Abbot
Applications are sought from talented and motivated UK candidates with an academic background in chemistry or material science. Experience with batteries or separation chemistry would be an advantage but is not essential.
Project:
The UK is critically dependent on other countries for the processing and reclamation of technology-critical elements in sustainable technologies. This ranges from batteries used in consumer electronics (EVs and mobile phones), semiconductors, supermagnets in wind turbines and rare-earth materials used to make solar panels, and alloys for submarines and fighter jets. For example, in 2025, the UK has a stockpile of ca. 70,000-106,000 units of obsolete end-of-first-life EV batteries waiting to be recycled. Currently lacking sovereign capability in recycling and reclamation of those critical elements, the UK is vulnerable in terms of economy, defence and manufacturing capability.
In this PhD studentship, you will develop novel separation, reclamation and design-to-recycle methodologies for a range of sustainable technologies. The extensive knowledge of recycling of technology critical minerals at the Centre for Sustainable Material Processing will form the basis of this PhD, allowing you to learn, grow and advance from the current state-of-the-art during this studentship. You will learn technoeconomic and life-cycle analysis to be able to benchmark the work against the legacy technology.>
The successful candidate will gain expertise in:
- State-of-the-art battery chemistries
- Battery materials recovery and recycling technologies>
- Design-for-recycling principles
- Techno-economic and life-cycle analysis
- Translating fundamental chemistry into practical, scalable solutions
This PhD studentship offers a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the most pressing challenges in the electrification of transport, applying cutting-edge green chemistry to real-world industrial needs.
For queries regarding the project, please email Jake Yang directly Email: jake.yang@leicester.ac.uk
Read the application advice below carefully and use the application link at the bottom of this page to apply.
Funding
Funding
3.5 year studentship providing
- UK tuition fees
- Tax Free Stipend at UKRI rates of £21,805pa for 2026/7
- Access to Faraday Institution PhD training and workshops through the ReLiB project (https://relib.ac.uk/about-us/)
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
Applications are sought from talented and motivated UK candidates with an academic background in chemistry or material science. Experience with batteries or separation chemistry would be an advantage but is not essential.
Applicants must hold: 1st or 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent), and Masters degree with Distinction (or equivalent)
University of Leicester English language requirements apply.
Informal enquiries
Informal enquiries
For queries regarding the project, please email Jake Yang directly jake.yang@leicester.ac.uk
Application enquiries to pgrapply@le.ac.uk
How to apply
How to apply
To apply please use the Apply link at the bottom of this page and select September 2026
With your application, please include:
- CV
- Personal statement explaining your interest in the project, your experience and why we should consider you
- Degree certificates and transcripts of study already completed and if possible transcript to date of study currently being undertaken
- Evidence of English language proficiency if applicable
- In the reference section please enter the contact details of your two academic referees in the boxes provided or upload letters of reference if already available. Referees cannot be anyone on the project supervisory Team.
- In the funding section please specify Chem Yang
- In the proposal section please provide the name of the supervisor, academic department and project title in the space provided (a proposal is not required)
Incomplete applications and those submitted after the closing date will not be considered. We will advise you of the outcome by email after the deadline.
Eligibility
Eligibility
You must be a UK applicant
This studentship is not open to international applicants. If you are unsure whether you qualify as a UK applicant, please email PGRAdmissions@le.ac.uk with details of your current immigration status so that we can advise you.
Home/UK students
Generally to be classed as a Home student, candidates must meet the following criteria and meet residency requirements:
Be a UK national or
Irish national or
Have EU settled status* or
Have EU pre-settled status* or
Have Indefinite Leave to Remain or Enter
Further fee status advice can be found at UKCISA.
