For the second year running, our Centre for Integrated Materials, Processes & Structures supported students to carry out research projects with our Centre academics over the summer.

In Spring 2024, we asked students to apply for summer placements of up to three months, working with academics in our Centre. Our aim was to enhance the University experience and provide an enriching opportunity for undergraduates in our Faculty. We designed the scheme to give students a first-hand experience of academic research, giving them insight into research across different disciplines and departments. It also gave project supervisors a chance to explore new collaborations in the Centre as well as resources to explore high-risk proof of principle research.

This year, six students joined us. They told us about their experiences working on projects in our Centre.

Structural battery materials

  • Student: Toby Bennett
  • Supervisor: Dr Andrew Rhead

Working with Paloma and Andy learning how to manufacture and create new materials for batteries that have the dual purpose of providing structure was fascinating. Getting some hands-on experience with chemistry and electrospinning was really useful for seeing what lab work is about. Designing lab equipment was a lot of fun and helped put what I had learned about mechatronics into practice.

Carbon fibre is an incredibly versatile material. I learned a lot about its strength, conductive properties and how it can be lithiated to store charge in the form of ions. Working with the PhD students has been a pleasure and insightful for understanding what PhD life is like. I also had the opportunity to attend a conference for IAAPS and learn about the interesting research that is making future technology more sustainable.

My advice to anyone planning to do an internship is to be enthusiastic, ask lots of questions and try and do as much as you can to help. The people you are working with have a wealth of knowledge. The more effort that you put in, the more you will get out of it.

Ultra-permeable atomically thin membranes

  • Student: Will Moulton
  • Supervisor: Dr Shiqi Huang

Nanoporous single-layer graphene provides promising gas separation capabilities in many applications, including carbon capture devices. During my internship, I worked on fabricating scaffolds for graphene membranes using freeze casting. I also developed methods for transferring graphene from copper sheets onto these scaffolds. I explored the use of freeze-casted ceramics as a novel graphene scaffold, a technique not previously documented. This research could improve the scalability and cost-efficiency of nanoporous graphene for gas separation applications. This addresses one of the key limitations in current graphene-based technologies.

We tested several methods including spin coating graphene with a gas-permeable layer of PDMS, achieving some successful transfers. We used a range of analytical tools such as a scanning electron microscope, Raman spectroscopy, and a gas permeability testing station to examine the samples. I gained hands-on experience with the equipment and helped assemble the gas permeability test station. I plan to undertake further research into polymer freeze casting for use as a scaffold in my final year of university.

Use of iSCAT in carbon fibre electrode

  • Student: Amy Scerri
  • Supervisor: Dr Andrew Rhead

The aim of the project was to assemble and align an interferometric scattering microscope (iSCAT) to capture images of ions flowing into and out of carbon fibre electrodes with an active battery coating. This was to further understand how structural batteries charge and discharge. Setting-up the iSCAT microscope required designing and 3D printing custom components to hold the optical instrumentation, precisely aligning a laser and understanding the optical physics behind the microscope design. Also, I assembled battery cells in a glove box to learn about battery architectures in a hands-on way. Through iterative problem solving, we have refined the microscope design, which will be used next semester.

My tip: Be chatty and talk to all the PhD students you see to learn about what they are researching!

Mass transport in microchannels

  • Student: Sophia Eng
  • Supervisor: Dr Antonio Exposito

My summer research project investigated how the geometry of a microchannel would influence the mass transfer of carbon dioxide and the reaction kinetics for artificial photosynthesis. The first couple of weeks involved conducting a literature review, investigating the work completed already, and understanding the theory behind it. I read several research articles focused on catalysis, reaction kinetics, and microfluidics. I worked on understanding all the new concepts so I could combine them in my project. During the next four weeks I practised how to use AutoCAD to produce several 3D microreactor designs with different channel geometries. The latter two weeks was printing the microreactor and testing it in the lab.

I particularly enjoyed reading around the subject area and the theory about microfluidics. I found AutoCAD difficult at first but after persisting, picked it up quickly and enjoyed getting creative with my various designs. I look forward to seeing how the project progresses after I hand it over to a PhD student.

Vitrimer polymer networks

  • Student: Emanuel Bakcsi
  • Supervisors: Dr Yang Chen and Dr Antonio Exposito

Over the summer, I had the great opportunity to perform preliminary research into vitrimer polymer networks. This was in preparation for investigating their potential in reusable and recyclable composite materials. Using the chemical and mechanical analysis facilities, we analysed the characteristics of the uncured polymer. We also investigated the curing profile for the vitrimer. The project was a great experience, broadening my knowledge of composite materials. It also gave me a headstart into potential future advancements relating to composites.

This summer internship has allowed me to grow and prepare me for my future career. I cannot recommend taking a summer placement highly enough! For anyone fortunate enough to get into a summer internship, you'll be surrounded by experts in many fields of study and engineering. Take full advantage of this to ask about anything that interests you.

Electro-chemo-mechanics of lithium dendrites in solid-state batteries

  • Student: Pilar Perez Oliviera
  • Supervisors: Dr Alessandro Leronni and Dr Yang Chen

It was a pleasure to work with Alessandro Leronni and Yang Chen on my project of dendrites in solid-state Lithium-ion batteries. Learning from them, I was able to further develop and master research skills such as modelling and presenting. I found the project highly engaging. As my knowledge of Lithium-ion batteries expanded I was able to think critically and simulate more complex models. I'm grateful to have been a part of the research team and I respect the work that my supervisors have put into this project. The project has inspired me to look towards a placement either in research or in industry to do with energy storage systems such as Lithium-ion batteries. I recommend doing a summer research internship to gain invaluable skills and insights that might also help with future career pathways.

Posted in: Centre for Integrated Materials, Processes & Structures, placement, Research, undergraduate

Respond

  • (we won't publish this)

Write a response