PhD Studentship: Flexible Triboelectric Energy Nanogenerators for Sustainability

UK Energy Research Centre; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 15,000 - 20,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Energy Research Centre offers a PhD studentship focusing on developing triboelectric energy nanogenerators to power ingestible medical devices. This research aims to harness intestinal energy for battery-free operation, involving design and microengineering training to advance medical technology.

Benefits

Structured training opportunities

Cross-network collaboration

Participation in international training events

Qualifications

• Lead the design, fabrication, and characterization of the TENG.
• Integration with energy storage and low-power electronics.
• Structured training in microengineering and tribology.

Responsibilities

• Develop a microfabricated triboelectric nanogenerator for energy harvesting.
• Validate system performance in relevant in-vitro environments.
• Participate in training and collaboration with partners.

Skills

Microengineering

Energy harvesting

Biomedical device design

Education

PhD

Job description

PhD Studentship: Flexible Triboelectric Energy Nanogenerators for Sustainability

Be among the first applicants.

UK Energy Research Centre

Birmingham

GBP 15,000 - 20,000

Be among the first applicants.

4 days ago

PhD Studentship: Flexible Triboelectric Energy Nanogenerators for Sustainability

Qualification Type: PhD

Location: Birmingham

Funding for: UK Students, EU Students, International Students

Hours: Full Time

Placed On:

Closes:

The Intelli-Ingest Doctoral Network is an EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) initiative, bringing together leading academic, clinical, and industrial partners to train a new generation of experts in ingestible medical technologies. These minimally invasive, orally delivered devices are designed to traverse the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, enabling diagnostics, therapy, sampling, or intervention using electronic, mechanical, or smart material systems.

This PhD studentship, based at the School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, focuses on developing a microfabricated triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) to sustainably power ingestible medical devices. The goal is to harness mechanical energy from natural intestinal peristalsis to enable battery-free operation of autonomous systems inside the body. The TENG will be fully self-contained, biocompatible, and designed for safe excretion. This research addresses a key challenge in the field: reliable energy sources for miniaturized devices, and has the potential to advance long-duration in-body diagnostics and therapeutic monitoring.

The doctoral candidate will lead the design, fabrication, and characterization of the TENG, and integrate it with energy storage and low-power electronics. The system’s performance will be validated in physiologically relevant in-vitro environments. Throughout the project, the candidate will receive structured training in microengineering, energy harvesting, tribology, and biomedical device design. They will also benefit from cross-network collaboration, secondments to industrial and clinical partners, and participation in international training events.