Funding providers: Swansea University's Faculty of Science and Engineering, and STRIP5 Prosperity Partnership

Subject areas: Manufacturing optimization, Photovoltaic manufacture, Functional material printing

Project start date: 

• 1 April 2024 (Enrolment open from mid–March)
• 1 July 2024 (Enrolment open from mid-June)

Supervisors:

• Dr Eifion Jewell (e.jewell@swansea.ac.uk)
• Professor Trystan Watson
• Dr Sarah-Jane Potts 

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Mode of study: Full-time 

Project description: 

This 4-year PhD position offers an exciting opportunity to join the STRIPS Project (Swansea Tata Research and Innovation Prosperity Partnership for Printed Perovskite PV). As part of the STRIPS project, which encompasses 4-6 PhD studentships across 5 research groups in Swansea, all commencing in 2024, you will be an integral part of a dynamic doctoral cohort. This unique opportunity provides the successful candidate with the chance to collaborate not only with peers in Swansea but also with partners across the UK fostering a rich and diverse research environment. 

Your role will be to develop robust remanufacturing process approaches for perovskite solar cells. Printing offers a scalable manufacturing method for the additive manufacturing of perovskite photovoltaic (PV) cells with several layers deposited via screen printing / slot die coating. The screen printing process is scientifically complex; a non-Newtonian multi-phase elastic material (containing conducting/semi-conducting particles, organic binder and solvent) is sheared by the action of an elastic squeegee and is forced through a porous membrane. Upon contact with the substrate the ink is then subjected to extension as the squeegee passes and the screen and substrate separate, splitting the film. The behaviour of the material during this complex transient process has a significant impact of the topology of the printed film with a subsequent impact on PV device efficiency and functionality. The process must be carried out with precise alignment between layers and at physical scale and process robustness relevant to industrial manufacture.   

The project aims to establish the relationship between material physical properties, the deposition process and the final device performance. With a focus on volume manufacturing, the project has a strong thread of process engineering with an emphasis on developing and refining processes which must be compatible with large scale manufacturing. The successful applicants will be expected to split their time between the Swansea University Bay Campus and SPECIFIC Pilot Manufacturing Resource Centre (PMRC). On the Bay Campus, small device manufacture, device characterisation and material characterisation (including DSC, rheometry, SEM, TGA, XPS, XRD) are available. PMRC has industrial scale facilities which allow scaling of devices to 1 m2 size on rigid and flexible substrates within a clean room environment.    

This PhD Scholarship is suitable for those who have a commitment, skills and vision to help deliver volume manufacturing of the next generation of sustainable energy products.