Rapid Prototyping of metal bipolar plates for hydrogen applications

This scholarship is available over three years and offers:

• a stipend of $40,581 per annum tax exempt 
  

For international students, the awardee will also receive:

• tuition fees offset for the duration of four years
• single Overseas Student Health Cover policy for the duration of the student visa.

What you’ll do

• Develop and implement a new process for forming micro sheet metal components using rapidly manufactured forming tool inserts.
• Analyse process issues and forming defects by assessing critical forming strains and part shape accuracy with Digital Image Correlation (DIC) methods and surface profilometry.
• Develop Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models of the forming process and of material deformation and failure behaviour. Apply these models to identify process limits and to develop solutions for reducing forming and quality issues.

• Manufacture full-scale metal bipolar plate prototypes and evaluate their performance in fuel cell hardware at the Deakin Hydrogen Hub.
• Contribute to research outputs that support the development of next-generation hydrogen energy systems.

Why this project is unique

• Work on a highly applied research problem with direct relevance to hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysers.
• Join a major collaborative research environment linked to a multi-million-dollar ARC Training Centre with more than 40 researchers, engineers, and PhD candidates.
• Access advanced facilities for sheet metal forming, experimental characterisation, computational modelling, and fuel cell testing.
• Build expertise across manufacturing, modelling, and hydrogen technologies.

Publish in leading journals, present at conferences, and contribute to technologies with strong industry and commercial relevance.

To be eligible you must:

• meet Deakin's PhD entry requirements
• enrol full time
• hold an honours degree (first class) or an equivalent standard masters degree with a substantial research component
• be an international or domestic candidate
  

Please refer to the research degree entry pathways page for further information.

Additional requirements:

We are seeking motivated applicants with a background in mechanical engineering, materials engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a related field, with interest in one or more of the following areas:

• numerical modelling and simulation, including Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
• forming process design and optimisation
• advanced manufacturing and micro-manufacturing
• experimental mechanics and materials characterisation
• hydrogen and electrochemical energy technologies

Applicants who are excited by industry-connected research and collaborative work across engineering disciplines are strongly encouraged to apply.