Light-weighting automotive electrical harnesses using nanomaterials
Funding: EPRSC iCASE PhD studentship with Jaguar Land Rover
Start date: 1 October 2016 for up to 4 years, possible early start considered
Supervisors: Dr Claire Dancer, Professor Tony McNally
Project Overview:
The project provides an outstanding opportunity to be involved in high impact, cutting edge research
while also giving valuable exposure to a major area of industry through Jaguar Land Rover. The
project will allow you to develop expertise in the manufacture and characterisation of functional
lightweight nanocomposite materials.
The many kilometres of electrical harnesses used in vehicles add significant weight to modern cars.
The requirement for cables and wires to be bound in a non-flexing sleeve with cable ties and other
forms of strapping adds weight and cost to the vehicle. This is also done to avoid shorting, and such
sleeves also provide fire retardant properties.
Nanoparticles (NPs) such as multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have excellent electrical
conductivity (up to 106 S/cm) and high current carrying densities. The incorporation of MWCNTs to
polymers can increase the electrical conductivity of polymers by many orders of magnitude (1015) at
low loadings, and also enhance mechanical properties. Moreover, MWCNTs have been shown to
have excellent fire retardant and intumescent properties when added with nanoclay to polymers.
While NPs of other electrical conductors are now available, e.g. nano-iron, they are much denser
than MWCNT’s. Other NP’s, e.g. boron nitride (BN) are excellent electrical insulators and can be
synthesised to have nanoscale dimensions, although most polymers are also electrical insulators.
The proposed project will focus initially on the incorporation of NPs at low loadings into polymers
used as sleeve materials. Such composite materials have much better electrical conductivity and are
mechanically superior relative to the unfilled polymer. Thus, sleeve materials could be prepared
having thinner walls, saving weight and having enhanced electrical conductivity and perform
similarly or better mechanically than the unfilled polymer. A similar approach will be adopted to
enhance electrical insulation by addition of very low loadings of insulating inorganic NPs to the
polymer. The combined addition of NPs will also impart excellent fire retardant and electrical
conductivity to the same polymer, avoiding the use of environmentally contentious halogen based
fire retardant packages. A final, but much more speculative aspect of the project would be to
explore the replacement of copper wire in the harness with ropes of conductive NP’s.
This project is with leading researchers in the International Institute for Nanocomposites
Manufacturing (IINM) at WMG, University of Warwick. An extensive range of advanced research
facilities including polymer synthesis, processing, characterisation and modelling are fully supported.
Multidisciplinary knowledge and skills on these polymer nanocomposites will be developed through
this project.
Funding:
This position provides an enhanced stipend of £16,000 tax free per annum (for eligible UK nationals)
and all fees paid are paid for UK nationals for up to 4 years
Eligibility:
Applicants should have or expect a first class honours or good upper second class degree (or an
equivalent) in Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, Materials Science and/or Materials
Engineering. Experience in polymer nanocomposites is a plus.
For informal inquiries about the project please contact Professor Tony McNally by email at
t.mcnally@warwick.ac.uk.
To apply, please complete our online enquiry form and upload your CV.