Textile PhD Scholarship for European Students at University of Manchester

Summary of the Scholarship:
Institute: University of Manchester 
School/Faculty: School of Materials
Place of Study: UK
Scholarship Type : Funded PhD Project  supervised by  Dr L Waterton-Taylor
Scholarships For :  Home country & European Students Only
Application Deadline: Sunday, May 31, 2015

Details of Project and Scholarship:

Project Name :

An investigation into natural fibres and synthetics within multilevel multilayer woven textiles whilst maintaining structural integrity and performance to generate responsive and/or interactive material forms for technical applications.

Project Details:

The scope of natural fibers for technical textiles and smart textiles applications is advancing  now a days.  The investigations of the sensor and actuator mechanisms of the range of natural cellulosic fibers and yarns  open up multilevel multilayer constructed forms of varying rigidity and drape to form structural ‘membranes’ for architectural environments; although not limited to due to the scope of end textiles and applications ranging from architecture, automotive to fashion. The requirement of synthetic yarns is to ensure responsive mode can take place within these  fabricated  multilayer forms but must  allow for comparative testing between these and their natural counterparts. 

The production of constructed woven textiles  allows for more than one layer of fabric to be produced within the weaving cycle. The justification for multilevel multilayer textile forms is to enhance the overall structural integrity, support the requirement and production of shaped textile forms, and take advantage of hybrid materials and their inherent characteristics upon the overall performance and shape. To utilize these parameters and expand upon the characteristic of hybrid constructed materials within a constructed material that responds to environmental stimuli sees the utilization and investigation of varying natural cellulosic fibers and synthetic yarns – Ultimately, if the natural cellulosic yarn can produce similar inherent sensor and actuator properties to their synthetic counterparts than the utilization of natural yarns is preferred when considering both the environmental impact from the placement of constructed natural materials within and the impact of the environment upon the natural material forms.

Scholarship Coverage and Terms & Conditions:

• This scholarship covers tuition fees and annual maintenance payments of at least the Research Council minimum (currently £13,863) for eligible UK and EU applicants.
• EU nationals must have lived in the UK for 3 years prior to the start of the program to be eligible for a full award that means fees and stipend. Other EU nationals may be eligible for a fees-only award. 
• Candidates must be  highly motivated graduates that have at least a 2.1 honours degree in Constructed Textiles, Textile Technology, Advanced Materials or a related subject.

Application Deadline: 

Sunday, May 31, 2015