Projects Available

The following projects are available for prospective DPhil students:

Deposition of organic an inorganic layers on polymer substrates by roll-to-roll coating in vacuum

Prof. Hazel Assender

The project will make use of our roll-to-roll polymer web coater to deposit under vacuum acrylate or other organic layers on polymer substrates, followed by evaporation or magnetron sputtering deposition of thin film inorganic layers such as metals or oxides. The resulting materials will then be characterized using a suite of methods. Possible applications include optical coatings, gas barrier films (often for electronics applications), or flexible electronics.

Phase separation and self-ordering in thin film polymers

Prof. Hazel Assender

The project will examine phase separation and self-ordering processes and morphological changes in thin film polymers, comparing the processes and kinetics in thin film systems with those in the bulk. The work will consider the effect of substrate interactions as well as processing characteristics on the resulting structures.

High gas barrier layers for encapsulation of flexible electronics

Prof. Hazel Assender

Gas barrier layers are required for the encapsulation of air-sensitive elements for packaging and flexible device technologies. The move away from plastic (oil-based) film for packaging applications to bio-origin and biodegradable materials comes with it a need for barrier layers tailored for such materials. Similarly, the prospect of disposable/soluble wearable or implantable devices e.g. for continuous health monitoring brings with it a requirement for encapsulation of the functional components with barrier layers. This project will seek to develop biodegradable/soluble encapsulation layers based on large-scale vacuum-deposited coatings

Application of microphase separation for manufacture of flexible devices

Prof. Hazel Assender

Microphase separating systems have long been explored as a way to induce very fine patterns in a thin film. This project seeks to exploit this effect by selective surface energy and additive inclusion in one block. There a number of options to explore, including the incorporation of nanoparticles into one phase, and the commensurate influence of this on microstructure, and the application of microphase separation for topographical or local surface energy control e.g. by exploiting differences in molecular mobility or solvent retention with the ultimate ambition to create adaptive surfaces.

Functional thin films for thermal management applications using vacuum printing of nanomaterials in a polymer matrix

Professor H. Assender and Professor N. Grobert

The drive to manufacture functional thin films and devices (e.g. for wearable technologies) at low cost requires the design of novel approaches for processing suitable functional materials, such as nanomaterials. One route to providing a patterned layer of a nanomaterial on a substrate is to disperse it in a printable monomer that is then cured in-situ. This would allow for either ambient or in-vacuum deposition. The project will explore the formulation and printing of a nano-particle-dispersed monomer for the novel formation of patterned polymer layers whereby the efficient dispersion of dedicated nanomaterials in monomers suitable for printing radiation-curable polymer-matrix nanocomposite materials will play a pivotal role. Methods to improve the dispersion of nanomaterials within the thin film are to be developed and studied. This will provide the foundations for future exploration of printing nanomaterials in a polymer matrix for applications such as efficient thermal management.

Also see a full listing of New projects available within the Department of Materials.

Prospective graduate students can also consider projects available through the CDT in plastic electronics in a partnership between Oxford and Imperial College London. CDT in Plastic Electronics