PhD Position on Textile-Triboelectric Nanogenerators (T-TENGs)

Supervisor: Professor George Stylios 

Applications are invited for a full Ph.D. James Watt Scholarship focused on Textile Triboelectric Nanogenerators (T-TENGs) within the Research Institute for Flexible Materials of the School of Textiles and Design at Heriot Watt University. The market of wearable technologies is rapidly expanding, providing consumers with interconnected wearable electronic devices in smart clothes, such as wellbeing monitors. To power of these wearable systems, new energy technologies beyond traditional batteries are needed. A TENG is a textile generator employing the triboelectric effect during garment wear to generate electricity.

The research is aimed at developing core-spun nano yarns and studying their structural, chemical, and mechanical properties for a wearable T-TENG application. The candidates require expert knowledge and experience in the experimental and computational mechanics of textile materials. This project will advance the state of the art by developing nanotextiles and core-spun nano yarn-based T-TENGs. The research will involve both modeling and experimental work, aimed at understanding, predicting, and optimizing the contact area and charge transfer at yarn interfaces, and ultimately establishing the optimum fabric.  It will be advantageous if the successful candidate has previously worked on fabricating, testing triboelectric nanogenerators, and on nano treatment of fabric surfaces. The candidate will be under the supervision of Prof George K Stylios. The Ph.D. scholarship is for 3.5 years.

Academic disciplines: Engineering and Technology, Textiles, Electrospinning of nanofibers.

Subcategories: Materials Science and Engineering, Nanoscience, Polymer Science, Electrospinning, Nanofibers, Textile Mechanics, Textile Engineering, SMART, Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Fabric Measurement and Testing, Instrumentation.

Standard Terms & Conditions

The studentship consists of stipend and PhD fees. The stipend is on the UKRI level at £17,668 per annum. This position has funding for up to 3.5 years.

We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity.

Heriot Watt University, registered charity number SC000278.