Fully Funded M2A EngD Scholarship: Large Scale Fabrication of Functionalised Carbon Nano-Materials

Start date: October 2020

Supervisor: Dr Paolo Bertoncello / Professor Serena Margadonna (Academic Supervisors) and Dr. Afshin Tarat / Ian Walters (Industrial Supervisors)

Sponsoring company: Perpetuus Carbon Technologies
Perpetuus Carbon Technologies (PCT) is a Welsh company specialised in the fabrication at industrial scale of carbon nanostructures (carbon nanomaterials, graphene nanoplatelets) for a variety of industrial applications

Background:

Perpetuus Carbon Technologies (PCT) is a Welsh company specialised in the fabrication at industrial scale of carbon nanostructures (carbon nanomaterials, graphene nanoplatelets) for a variety of industrial applications. These materials can be produced at the ton scale using cost effective and environmental procedures. Perpetuus produce a porous nanocarbon that displays a capacity of 50 farads per gram and therefore, has the potential to be included within both batteries and supercapacitor’s that will provide enhanced capacitance when compared to other such components currently available in the global marketplace.

Project Aims:

The overall aim of the project is the testing of functionalised carbon nanomaterials (graphene nanoplatelets and carbon nanotubes) as conductive material for application in the Energy sector, such as for batteries and supercapacitors. The as-developed carbon nanomaterials possess very high surface area and high electrical conductivity, which make them attractive as electrode material for batteries and supercapacitors.

- Identify and fabricate composite materials using these carbon nanostructures in combination with ionomers, using state-of-the-art coating processes available at Swansea University to print prototype batteries and supercapacitors

- Electrochemical testing of the prototype materials (such as charge-discharge, capacitance, etc.) using modern electrochemical methods

Note: The successful candidate will learn about the fabrication of these carbon nanostructures at PCT, whereas the printing processes and the electrochemical characterisation will be performed at Swansea University.

Eligibility
We welcome applications from candidates with an Engineering or Physical Sciences degree (minimum level 2:1), or a combination of degree and equivalent experience to the same level.

Normally, we would expect candidates to have met the University’s English Language requirements (e.g. IELTS 6.5 overall with 5.5+ in each component) by point of application. For details on the University’s English Language entry requirements, please visit – http://www.swansea.ac.uk/admissions/englishlanguagerequirements/

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to UK/EU candidates only.

Full eligibility criteria can be found at: https://www.materials-academy.co.uk/eligibility