3D printing of next generation heatsinks for the automotive industry (Industry-funded)

Description

The move to electric vehicles (EV) is a key aspect of decarbonising the global transport system.  To make EVs ubiquitous, their overall efficiency requires improvement.  One such area of improvement is that of heatsinks for the thermal management of EVs. Additive manufacturing (AM) has long enabled the manufacture of complex geometries for a wide variety of sectors but has typically had a limited range of materials.  This project aims to increase the efficiency of heatsinks in EVs by extending the existing benefits of AM through the integration of novel feedstock materials.  This approach will help facilitate the next generation of EVs.

The proposed project will investigate the use of reactive functional binders for the 3D printing of heat sinks and other energy devices.  The project will investigate the sequential 3D printing of conductive and insulative components. Tailoring material interfaces will be assessed to enhance overall heatsink efficiency.

This ambitious project is funded by industry in collaboration with YASA.  YASA was founded in 2009 on the belief that small, powerful and efficient electric motors and power electronics would play an increasingly important role in meeting the strict emissions targets by enabling new, more efficient and sustainable means of transportation.  In 2018, YASA officially opened its 100,000 unit per annum e-motor and controller serial production facility in Kidlington near Oxford, UK.  YASA became a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz in 2021, acting as an innovation partner pioneering new electric drive technology for the wider Group.

In this project, as well as your academic supervisor, you will have an industrial supervisor; you will liaise with YASA via regular update meetings.  You will learn how to operate industrial 3D printers, develop binder formulations, and assess the printed materials using advanced characterisation techniques such as SEM, micro-CT and TEM.  The output from the project will be prototypes of the next generation of heatsinks for thermal management in EVs.  It is expected that the project will lead to high profile publications and presentations at international conferences.

About the group

You will be part of a dynamic forward-thinking team made up of manufacturers, engineers, material scientists and chemists.  You will carry out work in the Advanced Production and Manufacturing Research facility here at the University of Liverpool, which houses the latest additive manufacturing facilities and characterisation techniques.  

Career options

Successful attainment of this PhD will open up a range of opportunities in both academic and industrial settings.  Exposure to new ways of approaching technical problems will further enhance career options.

Applicant Eligibility

You will have a 2:1 degree, or MSc, in Material Science, Mechanical Engineering or Chemistry.  You should be highly motivated and a forward-thinker.  Although part of a research team, you will benefit from being a curiosity-driven independent thinker.

Due to funding restrictions, the position is only available for home/UK candidates.

Enquiries should be made to Professor Kate Black, applications submitted via the University application form applying for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Application enquires can be sent to the School of Engineering Postgraduate Office.