Graduate Student, Materials Science & Engineering
Using polymeric sulfur as a cheap sulfur source for metal sulfides
Our work focuses on making cheap, environmentally friendly solar cells that can be made simply and rapidly using reclaimed waste materials. Vast amounts of elemental sulfur are produced as a byproduct of petroleum refining processes and are readily stockpiled on site in giant piles, left sitting as a potentially harmful waste material that is difficult to dispose of. We are developing ways to utilize this waste material in novel ways to produce new sulfur based polymers that can be processed in a manner analogous to typical thermoplastic materials. Moreover, we have developed a method in which these sulfur polymers can be used as a feedstock to produce cheap and environmentally friendly solar cells. I am excited to be involved in the excellent body of research that takes place at the CEI and I look forward to continually working on projects that can help meet some of our energy production challenges in a sustainable way.