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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/K008633/1
Title Towards Sinter-free Printing of Photovoltaic Cell Interconnects
Status Completed
Energy Categories Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Photovoltaics) 100%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics) 50%;
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials) 50%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr CJ Sutcliffe
No email address given
Centre for Materials and Structures
University of Liverpool
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 October 2012
End Date 30 September 2015
Duration 36 months
Total Grant Value £364,495
Industrial Sectors Electronics; Manufacturing
Region North West
Programme Manufacturing: Engineering
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr CJ Sutcliffe , Centre for Materials and Structures, University of Liverpool (99.998%)
  Other Investigator Dr V Bertola , Engineering, University of Liverpool (0.001%)
Professor PR Chalker , Centre for Materials and Structures, University of Liverpool (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , Renishaw PLC (Old Town) (0.000%)
Project Contact , SAFC Hitech (0.000%)
Project Contact , DuPont (UK) Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , IMRC:A Centre for Innovative (0.000%)
Project Contact , OpTek Systems (0.000%)
Project Contact , Pilkington Special Glass (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract Metal thin films are used in a wide variety of technologies, such as solar cells and printed circuit boards for electronics. Inkjet printing has emerged as a practical and low-cost route for manufacturing electrical contacts in these applications. However existing manufacturing technologies use inks that often require a final heat treatment to consolidate or 'sinter' the film. If this last step can be eliminated, by depositing fully dense films, then the inkjet manufacturing process could be applied to temperature sensitive substrates like plastics or vulnerable semiconductor materials.The purpose of this project is to develop 'sinter-free' inkjet manufacturing processes, by taking ink precursors developed for other thin film processes, and exploiting them to use the significant benefits of inkjet process technology e.g. the direct writing of interconnects or wires. If successful, the project will represent a step-change in the manufacturing methods for this type of film
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Added to Database 15/11/12