Printing solar cells for future technologies

Background
The Application Targeted and Integrated Photovoltaics (ATIP) project is a £6M Programme Grant led by SPECIFIC and Swansea University, in close collaboration with Imperial College London and Oxford University and supported by 12 key industrial partners. The main objective of the overall project, funded by EPSRC, is to drive the uptake of next generation organic photovoltaics and perovskite photovoltaics (PV) to support future technologies and this EngD project relates to the scale-up of printed photovoltaics from laboratory to factory as part of the SPECIFIC PV research team led by Professor Trystan Watson.

The PV scale-up and stability research activity is currently carried out at Swansea University and is housed in purpose-built facilities which include a new stability testing and cleanroom printing facility. Printing capabilities include screen, inkjet, slot-die, blade, gravure, and flexography. The photovoltaic characterisation laboratory at SPECIFIC is setup to rapidly progress the prototyping of thin film PV materials on glass or flexible metal and plastic surfaces.

Project Aims
The research engineer will work within the larger project team to transfer small area laboratory developed solar cells (perovskite and organic photovoltaics) to large-area industrialised processes; working with collaborators at Imperial College London and Oxford University to ensure targeted functionality and processability. This will involve developing scaling strategies for depositing and drying solution-based perovskite and organic solar cell materials using methods that meet the programme's design requirements and enabling integration; particularly focusing on reducing the efficiency gap between small and large area cells.

Day to day activities will entail the fabrication and characterisation of solar cells using both conventional laboratory methods (spin-coating) as well as more industrially relevant methods (slot-die, roll to roll, screen printing). There will be opportunity to develop skills in printing, coating and lifetime testing of functional materials and the development of enabling technologies, with provision to specialise in at least one advanced materials characterisation technique (SEM, N2 adsorption, XRD, etc).

The CDT will produce 50 graduates with doctoral level knowledge and research skills focussed on the development and manufacture of functional industrial coatings. Key impact areas are:

Knowledge
- The development of new products and processes to address real scientific challenges existing in industry and to transfer this knowledge into partnering companies. The CDT will enable rapid knowledge transfer between academia and industry due to the co-created projects and co-supervision.
- The creation of knowledge sharing network for partner companies created by the environment of the CDT.
- On average 2-3 publications per RE. Publications in high impact factor journals. The scientific scope of the CDT comprises a mixture of interdisciplinary areas and as such a breadth of knowledge can be generated through the CDT. Examples would include Photovoltaic coatings - Journal of Materials Chemistry A (IF 8.867) and Anti-corrosion Coatings - Corrosion Science (IF 5.245), Progress in Organic Coatings (IF 2.903)
- REs will disseminate knowledge at leading conferences e.g. Materials Research Society (MRS), Meetings of the Electrochemical Society, and through trade associations and Institutes representing the coatings sector.
- A bespoke training package on the formulation, function, use, degradation and end of life that will embed the latest research and will be available to industry partners for employees to attend as CPD and for other PGRs demonstrating added value from the CDT environment.

Wealth Creation
- Value added products and processes created through the CDT will generate benefits for Industrial partners and supply chains helping to build a productive nation.
- Employment of graduates into industry will transfer their knowledge and skills into businesses enabling innovation within these companies.
- Swansea University will support potential spin out companies where appropriate through its dedicated EU funded commercialisation project, Agor IP.

Environment and society
- Functionalised surfaces can potentially improve human health through anti-microbial surfaces for health care infrastructure and treatment of water using photocatalytic coatings.
- Functionalised energy generation coatings will contribute towards national strategies regarding clean and secure energy.
- Responsible research and innovation is an overarching theme of the CDT with materials sustainability, ethics, energy and end of life considered throughout the development of new coatings and processes. Thus, REs will be trained to approach all future problems with this mind set.
- Outreach is a critical element of the training programme (for example, a module delivered by the Ri on public engagement) and our REs will have skills that enable the dissemination of their knowledge to wide audiences thus generating interest in science and engineering and the benefits that investments can bring.

People
- Highly employable doctoral gradates with a holistic knowledge of functional coatings manufacture who can make an immediate impact in industry or academia.
- The REs will have transferable skills that are pertinent across multiple sectors.
- The CDT will develop ethically aware engineers with sustainability embed throughout their training
- The promotion of equality, diversity and inclusivity within our cohorts through CDT and University wide initiatives.
- The development of alumni networks to grow new opportunities for our CDT and provide REs with mentors.