Opportunities
The national Centre for Advanced Tribology at Southampton (nCATS) occasionally has vacancies. Candidates can register their interest by sending a C.V. and covering letter stating their area of expertise and the type of position they would be interested in (i.e. lectureship or post doctoral position) to Sue Berger, nCATS Administrator, ncats [at] soton.ac.uk.
Lectureships: |
none at present |
PhD Studentships: |
Physics-based modelling of wear of UHMWPE used in total joint replacement |
Post Doctoral: |
Senior Research Fellow(Orthopaedic Engineering) (reference 066611BX ) |
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Tailored nanostructured films for wear protection at high temperature |
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Lectureships / Post Doctoral Positions
Lectureship applicants will require a growing international research reputation, an excellent research background in a field related to tribology or interfacial engineering/science with proven ability to win research income and an excellent publication record.
Post Doc applicants will require a good research background with a publication record.
Stay informed about vacancies at nCATS:
Please email ncats [at] soton.ac.uk to be added to the opportunities mailing list so you receive notifications when future positions come up.
Senior Research Fellow (066611BX) £27,428 to £33,734 per annum, fixed term until 27th December 2012
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a proactive individual with a solid background and strong experience in bio-tribology and orthopaedic engineering to join the growing team of one professor, eight lecturers, eight post-doctoral researchers and 20 PhD students as a Research Fellow. The role has been created to support and manage an industrially commissioned project involving multi-station hip-simulation and the testing and development of industrially and medically applicable artificial hip-joints.
The project will run for a total of 24 months in the first instance and require a clear focus to achieve targets set by the industrial sponsor. The successful candidate ideally will have experience of biotribology testing and more specifically be familiar with and have used a multi-station hip simulator. Experience of working in the bio-medical industry would be particularly advantageous.
A proven ability to manage projects and drive the design and testing of industrially viable products is a requirement for the appointment. Candidates should have a track-record of commercially successful outputs and be able to develop a strategic plan to make the new testing facility at Southampton self-funding within the period of the project.
The appointee will have access to laboratory facilities and mentoring from senior staff across nCATS' academic disciplines.
This post represents an outstanding and unique opportunity to be part of building a world class research centre, supported by multidisciplinary collaborations that connect the fundamental understanding of tribological systems and the future health care demands and industrial needs. For more information on the national Centre for Advanced Tribology please visit www.soton.ac.uk/ses/research/nCATS.
The post is available from January 2012, or as soon as possible thereafter. Interviews are planned for end of November / early December 2011.
The closing date for this post is 12 December 2011. Please apply online through www.jobs.soton.ac.uk or alternatively telephone 023 8059 2750 for an application form. Please quote vacancy reference number 066611BX on all correspondence.
Informal enquiries can be made to Dr. Martin Stolz; email: m.stolz@sotobn.ac.uk.
PhD / EngD studentships
Multiple opportunities for PHD/EngD studentships are also available and applicants are sought in any area identified above. Available studentships will also be posted on the Faculty of Engineering & the EnvironmmentPostgraduate Opportunities webpage.
For information on funding please visit the funding website or the website of the university's International Office.
nCATS PhD Studentship: Physics-based modelling of wear of UHMWPE used in total joint replacement. A novel approach based on a combination of Level Set and Finite Element Methods
3 years (reference SES-80-144)
Wear of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is the limiting factor influencing the longevity of total joint replacement (TJR). Currently, wear of TJR designs is assessed through experimental tests, but these are expensive, time consuming and as a consequence are only able to assess a limited range of activities. Recently, fast computational tools (rigid body dynamics and finite element simulations) have been developed to simulate wear and the initial results look promising. These tools provide greater flexibility and allow a more rigorous analysis of the wear potential for new implant designs. However, the wear models used in these computational studies are relatively crude, based around empirical wear algorithms―generally derived from Archard’s law of wear― which do not adequately capture the physics of the wear process and do not generalise to arbitrary loading conditions. Moreover, realistically simulating the wear process in a finite element context is very challenging if one wants to account explicitly for material removal.
The goal of this project is to develop a computational modelling platform combining level set and fast marching methods together with finite element techniques. The first stage of this research consists in developing a physics-based constitutive model of UHMWPE capturing the micromechanics of UHMWPE molecular chains. The second stage is concerned with the explicit removal of material as a result of wear mechanisms. Level set and/or fast marching methods will be used to track interfaces between virgin and worn UHMWPE phases.
Informal enquiries about the post can be addressed to Dr Georges Limbert, Tel: 023 8059 2381, email: R.Wood [at] soton.ac.uk G.Limbert [at] soton.ac.uk
Characterisation and Improvement of Propeller Materials based on their Resistance to Cavitation Erosion
(3 years)
Cavitation erosion on ship propellers and rudders during their operation at sea is destructive in nature and causes severe loss in the performance of the ship leading to eventual costly maintenance in the form of frequent dry dockings, inspections and preventive maintenance or replacement of the damaged part itself. The cavitation erosion process is a very complex phenomenon depending upon the type and unsteadiness of cavitation, and response of the material to the cavitation energy imparted upon. Thus, determination of cavitation erosion characteristics on the different materials used for propellers and rudders will greatly assist the ship designer during early design process in mitigating the problem through a choice of materials. Further, detection of such erosion at an early stage through acoustic measurements can be invaluable in modifying the operating profile of the vessel apart from taking preventive maintenance. This PhD/EngD programme is proposed to be carried out in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register’s Strategic Research and Technical Policy groups. The work programme is designed to look at different aspects in characterising the materials generally used for manufacturing the ship propellers and rudders through cavitation erosion tests under laboratory conditions with and without cavitation protection. Studies also look into ways to improve the cavitation resistance of the materials through modifications of the base materials using heat treatments, Shot / Laser Peening and Friction stir processing and coatings like Clad welding, Flame / Arc / HVOF Spraying etc. In additional to characterization of the materials based on steady mass loss over long periods of cavitation erosion and in-situ electrochemical measurements of corrosion, acoustic measurements, this study is aimed to understand the cavitation phenomena simulated by the vibratory probe device through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies.
Informal enquiries about the post can be addressed to Prof Robert Wood, Tel: 023 8059 4881, email: R.Wood [at]soton.ac.uk
Self-adaptive low friction coatings
3 years (reference TBC)
The aim of the project will be the development of self-adaptive and self-lubricating thin films based on the transition metal dichalcogenides alloyed with elements or compounds. The coating should be capable to exhibit low friction and negligible wear in a wide range of contact conditions, such as vacuum, dry or lubricated sliding. The project will specifically investigate the transformation of the film nanostructure during the sliding process. The work will be experimental in nature but particular problems might be chosen for theoretical simulations. The experimental part will include coating deposition by magnetron sputtering, fundamental characterisation and tribological analyses using advanced surface characterisation techniques. The applicant will benefit from the multidisciplinary nature of the project and will be expected to participate in regular progress meetings and present results at international conferences.
Informal enquiries about the post can be addressed to Dr Tomas Polcar, Tel: 023 8059 8615, email: T.Polcar [at]soton.ac.uk
Development of next generation hip implants with low wear Biotribological performance for improved function and long-term stability
3 years (reference TBC)
In 2009 roughly 65000 hip replacements were performed in the UK. It is estimated that this number will double by 2030, making hip replacements a growing and competitive market. The design of prostheses presents a challenge for biomedical engineers, as poor implant design, bad implant insertion and tribochemical reactions in the body can all result in failure and the need for revision surgery. Moreover, with implants being inserted into younger and more active individuals, the demands placed on the implants are increasing and current implant designs and materials need to be improved to enhance their functionality, durability and longevity.
Biotribology studies the interactions between biological and biomedical material surfaces, to enhance lubrication while reducing friction, wear and corrosion between components and surfaces. We have a long established expertise in biomedical materials research for use in joint replacements. The student will have the opportunity to work on a range of experiments and equipment including our recently obtained ten-station hip wear simulator.
The focus is to study the behaviour of new smart synthetic materials to optimize their tribological performance for the next generation of hip implants to restorate normal hip function. We aim to establish novel strategies for improved hip implants to benefit industry and patients. The work is in close collaboration with our industrial partners, and principally with DePuy Orthopaedics Inc.
The student will be co-supervised by Dr. Xiao Q Hu who worked previously with DePuy Orthopaedics Inc. and has 17 years experience with hip simulator testing. It is envisioned that the student will be in frequent contact with our industrial partners to participate in design, development and improvement of next generation hip implants. The project will be focused on the biotribology of the hip joint with particular interest in the wear and friction simulation of new smart synthetic materials.
If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Dr. Martin Stolz, national Centre for Advanced Tribology at Southampton (nCATS) research group, Email: m.stolz@soton.ac.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 2380 59 4772.
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