Spray-coating perovskite photovoltaics over 3-dimensional surfaces.

这个项目的学生涉及与一个研究团队的密切合作，该团队致力于通过喷涂开发钙钛矿太阳能电池设备。我们的研究愿景是开发太阳能电池，本质上是非平面的，并在三维表面上连续涂覆。作为一个例子，我们将使用复合材料，如碳纤维和其他热塑性聚合物作为设备基板，因为这种材料可以很容易地形成非平面结构，并可以具有非常高的强度重量比。我们将开发的系统将作为分散的、移动的电源在低能耗车辆和航空航天技术中找到潜在的应用。这种集成的关键是开发基于喷涂的技术，允许PV以无缝和不显眼的方式涂覆在3D表面上。学生将负责开发技术，使非平面（弯曲）表面通过喷涂涂覆各种半导体材料。这将需要仔细控制基于喷雾的沉积技术和控制干燥速率。学生将探索控制薄膜干燥速率的技术，并将使用各种粘度调节剂控制材料溶液（油墨）的特性。然后学生将使用各种显微镜和分析技术对喷涂薄膜进行分析。最后，学生将帮助制造和测试所创建的3D光伏器件的性能。

This project studentship involves close collaboration with a team of researchers working on the development of perovskite solar-cell devices by spray-coating. Our research vision is to develop solar cells that are inherently non-planar and are continuously coated over 3-dimensional surfaces. As an exemplar, we will use composite materials such as carbon-fibre and other thermo-plastic polymers as the device substrate, as such materials can be easily formed into non-planar structures and can have very high strength-to-weight ratios. The systems we will develop will find potential applications as decentralized, mobile power sources for use in low-energy vehicles and aerospace-technology. Key to this integration is the development of spray-based techniques that permit PV to be coated over 3D surfaces in a seamless and unobtrusive fashion. The student will be charged with the development of techniques that will allow non-planar (curved) surfaces to be coated with various semiconductor materials by spray-coating. This will require a careful control of spray-based deposition techniques and control over drying rates. The student will explore techniques to control film drying-rates, and will also control the properties of the material solutions (inks) to be spray-cast using various viscosity modifiers. The student will then characterise the spray-cast films using a variety of microscopy and analytical techniques. Finally, the student will help fabricate and test the performance of the 3D photovoltaic devices created.