Improving the wool product. Using mathematical modelling to improve the efficiency of wool scouring. Our aim is to improve the quality of scoured wool by improving the efficiency of wool scouring. Wool scouring is the process of washing greasy wool once it has been removed from the sheep's back. After being rinsed to remove sweat and salt the wool is passed through a scour bowl consisting of settling tanks from which dirty water is periodically expelled. Mathematical modelling will optimise us ....Improving the wool product. Using mathematical modelling to improve the efficiency of wool scouring. Our aim is to improve the quality of scoured wool by improving the efficiency of wool scouring. Wool scouring is the process of washing greasy wool once it has been removed from the sheep's back. After being rinsed to remove sweat and salt the wool is passed through a scour bowl consisting of settling tanks from which dirty water is periodically expelled. Mathematical modelling will optimise use of the scour bowl, reduce consumption of water, increase the recovery of wool grease and improve the quality and cleanliness of the wool.Read moreRead less
Polymer Band Gap Engineering. The development of fibre optic communication networks has enabled the provision of low cost long-distance telephony and the dramatic growth of the Internet. This project aims to develop polymeric materials that receive optical signals in the telecommunications (near IR) band. Such a capability would allow RPO to build low cost power monitoring into all its integrated optical devices and would massively enhance its market opportunities and chances of growth. Furtherm ....Polymer Band Gap Engineering. The development of fibre optic communication networks has enabled the provision of low cost long-distance telephony and the dramatic growth of the Internet. This project aims to develop polymeric materials that receive optical signals in the telecommunications (near IR) band. Such a capability would allow RPO to build low cost power monitoring into all its integrated optical devices and would massively enhance its market opportunities and chances of growth. Furthermore, this project lays the foundations for the development of an all-polymer optical chip, whose cost savings over the current technological strategies would revolutionise the photonics and information technology sector.Read moreRead less
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF SILICON ON SAPPHIRE THIN FILMS GROWN USING SOLID-PHASE EPITAXIAL TECHNIQUES. Devices based on silicon-on-sapphire processing are potentially faster and are prepared with fewer processing steps than those based on conventional silicon processing technology. However, silicon-on-sapphire films prepared by traditional methods are unsatisfactory due to the high densities of defects they contain. The development of solid phase epitaxial processing has lead to significant increas ....STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF SILICON ON SAPPHIRE THIN FILMS GROWN USING SOLID-PHASE EPITAXIAL TECHNIQUES. Devices based on silicon-on-sapphire processing are potentially faster and are prepared with fewer processing steps than those based on conventional silicon processing technology. However, silicon-on-sapphire films prepared by traditional methods are unsatisfactory due to the high densities of defects they contain. The development of solid phase epitaxial processing has lead to significant increases in performance. This project will characterize the structures of films grown by this new process, and relate them to both the processing conditions and device performance. A greater understanding of the relationship between processing, structure and properties will assist the commercial development of these devices.Read moreRead less
Flute properties without players, and without flutes. This project will measure how the acoustic impedance spectra of some flutes depend upon the detailed shape of the bore and the size, shape and position of the holes. It will develop a model to predict, for the benefit of instrument makers, the effect of proposed changes in the geometry of the instrument on the pitches and ease of playing of notes played on the instrument. Importantly, it will allow museum curators to determine tunings and (un ....Flute properties without players, and without flutes. This project will measure how the acoustic impedance spectra of some flutes depend upon the detailed shape of the bore and the size, shape and position of the holes. It will develop a model to predict, for the benefit of instrument makers, the effect of proposed changes in the geometry of the instrument on the pitches and ease of playing of notes played on the instrument. Importantly, it will allow museum curators to determine tunings and (uncompensated) temperaments of historic instruments that cannot readily be played.Read moreRead less
Enhancing the Understanding and Performance of Passivating TiO2 Coatings for Photovoltaic Devices. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely used as an antireflection coating in the silicon (Si) photovoltaics industry as it exhibits excellent optical properties and low deposition cost. However, recently manufacturers have been turning to alternatives such as hydrogenated silicon nitride coatings that exhibit greatly improved electronic properties, but cost 4 - 10 times more to deposit. This proj ....Enhancing the Understanding and Performance of Passivating TiO2 Coatings for Photovoltaic Devices. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely used as an antireflection coating in the silicon (Si) photovoltaics industry as it exhibits excellent optical properties and low deposition cost. However, recently manufacturers have been turning to alternatives such as hydrogenated silicon nitride coatings that exhibit greatly improved electronic properties, but cost 4 - 10 times more to deposit. This project seeks to understand the fundamental limitations behind the poor surface passivation afforded by TiO2 to a Si wafer, and subsequently develop a passivating TiO2 coating that can reduce the cost of electricity generated by Si solar cells.Read moreRead less