ResearchStudent Project

Supervisor name & contact details: / Name: Dr Tony Betts
School: Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Email:
Research Centre Name and Website (if applicable) / Applied Electrochemistry Group

Please indicate if the intention is to transfer from the Masters programme to the PhD programme (if applicable) / -
Please indicate if the project is suitable for a self-funded student / No
Funding Agency / -
Scholarship Details / -
Subject Area / Materials Science/Electrochemistry
Title of the Project / Development of Novel Electrochromic Devices Based on Green Chemistry
Project Description (max 300 words)
The intention of this project is to develop new materials suitable for use in electrochromic devicesbased on a green chemistry approach. Such devices can either change colour or their degree of transparency/opacity through the application of an electric potential (voltage). Applications of electrochromic devices can range from use in displays, smart windows, mirrors and in optical/lighting components. Typically inorganic transition metal oxides, such as tungsten oxide and nickel oxide have been used in the past, but these are difficult to recycle and may be expensive (eg iridium oxide). Although organic compounds including phthalocyanines, viologens and conducting polymers have been employed more recently,these can be toxic compounds and they can also suffer from inferior performance characteristics.
In this work ionogelswhich are solid electrolytes may be used to incorporate conducting polymers and/or inorganic compounds capable of changing their colour state through the imposition of an electrical potential. These electrolytes will be employed to fabricate novel electrochromic devices,in conjunction with a green chemistry approach that potentially either reduces or eliminates entirely the need for volatile organic compounds to be used as solvents in the fabrication process. Use of inexpensive analogues of novel room temperature ionic liquids will be explored as potential replacement solvents. Following their preparation, the properties of the new electrochromic materials will then be fully characterised using a variety of spectroscopic, microscopic and electrochemical methods. Specifically their coloration efficiency, contrast ratios, stability, colour intensity and structural flexibility will all be ascertained along with other important properties, including their electrochemical behaviour.
Please indicate the student requirements for this project
Minimum 2.1 in Chemical and/or Materials Sciences
Deadline to submit applications (only for funded projects) / -