The National Science Centre awarded nearly pln 2.5 million to scientists

The National Science Centre (NCN) announced the results of the 19th edition of two competitions: OPUS and PRELUDIUM. Researchers from Lodz University of Technology received funding for two projects.

The first project in the OPUS programme Modification of electrode surfaces with new perylene derivatives and testing of electrode-semiconductor interfaces in printed organic optoelectronic devices will be carried out by a consortium led by dr hab. inż. Beata Łuszczyńska, professor at the Faculty of Chemistry of Lodz University of Technology. The second, in the PRELUDIUM programme, Simple method of numerical optimisation of control in discontinuous systems based on the Fourier series will be implemented by a PhD student: mgr inż. Sandra Zarychta, at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at TUL.

Beata Professor Łuszczyńska will lead a consortium consisting of the following members: Faculty of Chemistry at Lodz University of Technology (the leader), Faculty of Physics and Applies Informatics  of Lodz University and Faculty of Chemistry of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. The consortium will receive PLN 2.22 million for the project.

As Professor Łuszczyńska from the Department of Molecular Physics explains:

The main objective of the project is the synthesis of new materials and their application in the form of a thin layer separating the electrode and the active layer of the semiconductor in organic optoelectronic devices (OLEDs and photodiodes). Such interlayer will simultaneously show strong affinity to the inorganic electrode and the organic active layer of the device. Additionally, thin interlayers will modify the output of commonly used electrodes, which will allow efficient injection of charge carriers into the active layer and will significantly improve the parameters of equipment operation. Thanks to the application of such interlayers, it will be possible to produce several layers of efficient electronic components using solution methods, including the jet printing method.

Mgr inż. Sandra Zarychta submitted her project as a student of automation and robot control at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Now she is a PhD student at the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School of Lodz University of Technology in the discipline of Mechanical Engineering. She received over PLN 200,000 for her doctoral dissertation thesis. She will perform them in the Department of Dynamics at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

The young researcher explains what her research will involve:

The subject of my research is to control optimal mechanical systems with discontinuities. In mechanical engineering, discontinuities can be caused by impacts or dry friction, for example. An example of a discontinuity control system is the ABS system, which controls the braking of a vehicle under conditions of loss of grip. The loss of adhesion itself is related to the discontinuity of dry friction. Optimal control is the control that gives the best result according to the selected criterion. In the case of ABS, for example, optimum control is the control that minimises braking distance. A new method of estimating optimal control, based on the Fourier series, will be used in the research. With this method, the control function can be described by a number of parameters, which can then be optimised numerically.

Sandra Zarychta now finds time to follow her passion - aviation. She has been a member of the Lodz Aeroclub for a year now. - Flying allows me to discover and understand many issues and topics which previously did not matter much to me. However, the very moment of breaking away from the ground makes me finally feel free, like a bird,' adds the doctoral student.

OPUS is a competition addressed to all scientists, regardless of their research internship and degree, in which they can apply for funding for a research project, including the purchase or manufacture of scientific and research equipment.

PRELUDIUM is a competition addressed to persons starting a scientific career and not having a doctoral degree, in which it is possible to apply for granting funds for the project realization, the research team of which consists of maximum three people - including the project manager and the scientific supervisor.