About the PGM Horizons programme
Our PGM Horizons programme aims to stimulate long‑term, sustainable demand for PGMs — particularly palladium (Pd) and rhodium (Rh) — by supporting early‑stage research with strong potential for commercial impact. Projects should begin at technology readiness level (TRL) 1–3 and conclude at TRL 3–4.
Through our recently announced PGM market development collaboration, Johnson Matthey and our PGM industry partners are offering up to £350,000 per PhD cluster to accelerate research in catalysis, materials, and next‑generation electronics. Alongside the funding, JM will provide full support through insights, industrial based co-supervisors for each cluster, incorporation into the JM academic network including training, access to our talent partners and participation in our academic conference.
This funding supports linked clusters of PhDs centralized around a common theme, encouraging collaboration between academics, departments or universities to accelerate the invention and evaluation of new PGM products to help balance the PGM supply‑demand landscape.
Eligbility
Who can apply:
- UK Higher Education Providers
- UKRI research institutes
We welcome collaborative proposals between research organisations, especially those that unlock specialised facilities or infrastructure needed to advance proof of principle work.
Who cannot apply:
- Commercial organisations
- Non‑UK universities (unless directly invited to apply)
- Individuals not affiliated with UK Higher Education/UKRI research institutes
Research themes
Projects must place PGMs at the heart of the innovation and have potential to provide significant demand, especially for Pd and Rh, in the next 10-15 years. They must align with one of the following areas:
1. Advanced PGM materials and alloys, including:
- Extreme environments (including nuclear)
- Biomedical materials
- Telecommunications
- Optics, photonics and plasmonics
- Senors
2. Breakout PGM catalysis, including:
- Novel, sustainable and selective bond formation or breaking (enabling new feedstocks, simplifying process routes)
- Pollutant control and upcycling, e.g. PFAS degradation, plastics recycling
3. PGM materials for next-generation electronics, including:
- Thermal materials for heat management
- New semiconductor materials
- Novel memory and data‑storage technologies
- Flexible electronics
Projects can investigate substitution of a base metal, such as copper (Cu) or nickel (Ni), or other precious metal, such as gold (Ag) or silver (Au). However, projects that would lead to substitution of one PGM for another will not be considered.
Projects in which the PGM is not central to the final application will not be funded, e.g. where a traditional PGM catalyst is being considered for a new compound or molecule.
The funding intends to find opportunities outside of the current JM portfolio, therefore projects closely related to existing JM R&D will not be funded. These areas include:
- Auto catalyst emissions abatement
- Pt based proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, and Pt and Ir based PEM water electrolysers
- Syngas, biomass conversion & routes to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
- PGM recovery and recycling
- Existing or incremental advances to fine chemicals, pharmaceutical or agrochemical catalysts
Key dates
Call opens: 16th March 2026
Applications close: 17th April 2026
Funding decisions: 15th May 2026
Project start: Autumn 2026
PhD start deadline: 1st December 2026
Project duration: Up to 4 years
Apply now
By submitting your application you will be required to provide us with certain personal information. We will only use or disclose such personal information for the purpose for which it was collected and in accordance with relevant data protection legislation. By providing your details, you agree to their storage and use for matters related to the application.
Assessment criteria
A panel of experts will review the applications independently against the specified criteria:
1. Technical feasibility & TRL
Applications should demonstrate opportunities where the properties of PGMs provide a clear competitive advantage over alternatives to support uptake in the market.
- There should be evidence that key elements of the projects meet a TRL 2 through pre-feasibility work demonstrating the principle for the application, either by the applicants or via peer reviewed publications from others.
- Some aspects of the projects can be at lower TRL.
2. PGM demand generation and market impact
Projects should show potential to generate significant demand of PGMs, especially Pd and Rh. This equates to:
- >10,000 troy oz (300 kg) Pt or Pd per year
- >1,000 troy oz (30 kg) Rh per year
We understand early-stage forecasting is challenging, so we will also consider:
- the order of magnitude of the intended market
- any legislation or global megatrends which support future adoption.
3. Project finances and leverage
We will favour proposals where the funding enables additional activity, such as:
- related co-funded PhD projects or Masters projects
- multi-year enhanced collaboration with JM on PGM research.
Terms and conditions
This project will be funded via a collaboration between PGM industry partners and as such there are a number of stipulations required in the contract for the collaboration:
- Signature by the Higher Education Provider or UKRI Institute of a collaboration agreement on JM’s template before the project start date. This will include the requirement to share technical and project management aspects with co-funders.
- Selection of acceptable IP model option based on JM’s funding level. This must be stated in your application. Note that the IP model option selected may influence whether your proposal is accepted.
- JM will provide suitable industrial supervisors; both academic supervisor and PhD candidate will be required to attend regular review meetings on progress and project direction.
- Provision of full close out reports to both JM and the co-funders containing outcomes and plans for next steps by the project end date.
- JM to receive drafts of all applications (including patent applications) for review before publication.
- Ability for JM to redact or remove its confidential information from publications or request delay to publication (up to 6 months) where necessary.
- FAIR Data Principles used in the project.
- Agreement to JMAC terms before attending Johnson Matthey Academic Conference.
Other funding opportunities through JM
To encourage research into PGMs, we also supply metal through our PGM award scheme
Read More
