The impact of the research can be divided into two parts:
i) New career perspectives
Energy and environmental concerns have promoted rapid development of renewable energy technologies especially solar energy, latent thermal energy storage (LTES) using phase change material (PCM) is an effective method to adjust temporal mismatch between the demand and supply of solar energy systems. This NPMSSES research project has contributed towards high efficiency of solar energy storage.
High motivation and initiative in leading the project has helped the fellow formulate independent and critical thinking capability, and possessed all needed project management and leadership skills needed for a faculty position. Nanotechnology and energy solution in China is regarded as a means of national development. The theoretical and experimental expertise in the field of nanotechnology will complement the line of research on solar energy application. I have successfully obtained the offer of associate professor from DHU (Donghua University).
In addition, Dr Weiping Wu, who is a lecturer from City University of London and Group Chair of Society of Chemical Industry, recommended a collaboration work of high efficiency solar absorption and water steam generation. Dr Wenjing Ding, who is the sub-team leader of thermal process technology of German Aerospace Center, suggested the measurement of effective thermal conductivity of salt at high temperature. Those collaboration will lead to a new international partnership between EU and China.
ii) Communication and results dissemination
In this fellowship, various outreach activities have been are designed and done, which will aid me to understand better public interests. Those activities strengthen the impact on nanotechnology and energy issues, as outlined below.
i) At the beginning, I gave a presentation of the previous research and work plan in the group meeting. I had a good discussion with PhD candidate Afrah about the solar energy storage research at host organization.
ii) I attended the UK Particle Technology Forum 2017 at University of Birmingham, had in-depth discussion with the participants, and built the collaboration with Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage.
iii) In order to broaden the impact of the research on nanotechnology and energy storage, I attended the School Internal Research Exchange Event on Jan 18th, 2019. I presented my report in the panel of sustainable systems processes, and had rich discussion with the researchers at School of Chemical and Process Engineering.
iv) I presented the report “Synthesis and characterization of salt/metal foam composite seeded with nanoparticles and application to performance enhancement” in our group meeting on July 31th, 2018, which is related to the whole progress of my Marie Curie Fellowship. I had a good discussion with group members, including line manager, research fellow and PhD candidate, several good suggestions were recommended by the team.
v) I attended 25th Annual Conference of CSCST-SCI, and won a third prize of excellence in Chemical Research for oral presentation. This annual conference helped me discuss with the researcher of Chemical Science and Technology in the UK, and I became a member of Society of Chemical Industry.
