Doctoral Training Centre in Science and Application of Plastic Electronic Materials

塑料电子学(PE)是指分子电子材料(MEMS)及其在显示器、照明、柔性电子、太阳能转换、传感和医疗保健等领域的应用的科学和工程。PE背后的驱动力是这样一个事实，即可以从溶液中加工MEMS，从而打开了使用与传统塑料类似的印刷/涂层工艺的设备制造方案。与目前以无机为基础的技术相比，当应用于太阳能电池或节能塑料照明产品的制造时，这可能导致成本的大幅降低和大量节能。在国内和全球，第一批PE产品(例如OLED显示器)的市场正在迅速扩大，同时在发达国家和发展中国家都出现了大量的新市场。因此，全球对所有阶段的熟练科学家和工程师的需求都非常高：材料供应、设备设计、工程和制造，以及印刷/涂层设备生产。世界领先的、议程设定的英国学术PE研究，其中大部分由EPSRC赞助，为这个英国技术行业的发展和增长提供了巨大的潜力。尽管这一潜力得到了英国政府和工业界的认可，但由于缺乏训练有素的科学家和工程师，能够将想法转化为应用，增长受到了严重限制。业内专家证实了这一点，他们认为，全面的培训计划对于培养创建可持续发展的英国体育产业所需的科学家和工程师队伍至关重要。拟议的DTC满足了这一需求，提供了第一个专注于体育科学和技术方面的物理科学毕业生培训的研究生课程。DTC汇集了PE领域的两个领先的学术团队：ICL小组，拥有MEMS物理、化学和应用方面的专业知识，以及QMUL的聚合物技术专家。这个紧凑的、总部设在伦敦的联盟涵盖了与PE相关的所有学科，包括材料物理、光电子学、物理化学、器件工程和MEMS的建模、设计、合成和加工以及相关的工业经验。最近，通过新的任命和扩大或翻新的实验室空间，这两个团队都得到了加强。这项投资反映了ICL和QMUL促进体育研究领域的战略意图。该建议旨在发展一个包括一年制M.Res的综合研究生培训计划。拥有MEMS各个方面的授课课程的学位，以及一个形成性研究项目，然后是一个为期三年的博士项目。培训将通过高级专题的短期课程、实用培训(加工/特性化技术)和专业技能培训(通用和特定学科)在整个四年中继续进行。DTC每年资助10名学生。另外10个将由项目学生、工业和其他来源支持，以创造关键的学生群体，在8年后产生100名训练有素的科学家。DTC的很大一部分跨学科项目将有工业投入，要么是通过与合作伙伴的安置，要么是通过共同监督，或者通过使用工业合作伙伴提供的设施。公开征集项目建议书将使新的学术界和工业界成员能够与DTC互动，促进和扩大跨学科合作，并使DTC的研究组合能够对不断发展的科学和工业场景做出反应。

Plastic electronics (PE) refers to the science and engineering of molecular electronic materials (MEMs), notably conjugated polymers, and their applications to areas such as displays, lighting, flexible electronics, solar energy conversion, sensing, and healthcare. The driving force behind PE is the fact that MEMs can be processed from solution, opening up device manufacture schemes using printing/coating processes similar to those used for conventional plastics. Compared to current inorganic-based technologies, this could lead to large reductions in cost and substantial energy savings when applied to the manufacture of solar cells or energy efficient plastic lighting products.Nationally and globally, markets for the first PE products (e.g. OLED displays) are expanding rapidly while large new markets emerge, in both developed and developing countries. Hence, exceptionally high demand exists globally for skilled scientists and engineers at all stages: in materials supply, device design, engineering and manufacture, and printing/coating equipment production.The world-leading, agenda-setting UK academic PE research, much of it sponsored by EPSRC, offers enormous potential for development and growth of this UK technology sector. Although this potential is recognised by UK government and industry, growth is severely limited by the shortage of trained scientists and engineers capable of carrying ideas forward to application. This is confirmed by industry experts who argue that a comprehensive training programme is essential to deliver the workforce of scientists and engineers needed to create a sustainable UK PE Industry.The proposed DTC addresses this need providing the first post-graduate programme focussed on the training of physical science graduates in PE science and technology. The DTC brings together two leading academic teams in the PE area: the ICL groups, with expertise in the physics, chemistry and application of MEMs, and the polymer technologists at QMUL. This compact, London-based consortium encompasses all the disciplines relevant to PE, including materials physics, optoelectronics, physical chemistry, device engineering and modelling, design, synthesis and processing of MEMs as well as relevant industrial experience. Both teams have been strengthened recently, both through new appointments and by expanded or refurbished laboratory space. This investment reflects the strategic intent of ICL and QMUL to foster the PE research area.The proposal aims to devlop an integrated postgraduate training programme, consisting of a one-year M.Res. degree with taught courses on all aspects of MEMs, and a formative research project, followed by a three-year PhD project. Training will continue throughout the four years via short courses in advanced topics, practical training (processing/characterisation techniques), and professional skills training (both generic and discipline specific). Ten students per annum will be supported by the DTC. An additional ten will be supported by project studentships, industrial and other sources to create a critical student mass leading to an output of 100 trained scientists after 8 years. A large fraction of the DTC's interdisciplinary projects will have industrial input, either through placement with partners, through co-supervision or through access to facilities offered by industrial partners. An open call for project proposals will enable new academic and industrial members to interact with the DTC, fostering and enlarging cross-disciplinary collaborations, and enable response of the DTC's research portfolio to the developing scientific and industrial scene.