Robert Mather

Centre for Doctoral Training Doctoral Researcher

Robert Mather

Address

Department of Chemical Engineering
University College London
Torrington Place
London, WC1E 7JE
United Kingdom 

Email

Robert.mather.18@ucl.ac.uk

Lead Supervisor

Professor Dan Brett

Professor Paul Shearing

Research summary

Robert joined the Electrochemical Innovation Lab at UCL in September 2018 as part of the CDT. He graduated the University of Exeter in July 2018 obtaining a masters degree in physics with honours in physics.

Fuel cells and Li-ion batteries have significant benefits over internal combustion engines when working on their own; however, when a fuel cell is hybridised with a battery the benefits are amplified substantially. There are substantial technical challenges with combining these technologies in terms of electrical and thermal integration. This project will examine these issues from a combined experimental and modelling perspective.

He is funded through the EPSRC CDT  in Fuel Cells and their fuels: EP/L015749/1.

Qualifications

MPhys in Physics, University of Exeter, 2018

Biography

Robert was born in the UK and went to primary and secondary West Sussex. Following his A Levels in Maths, Physics and Biology, he moved to Exeter where he completed an integrated masters degree in Physics. He was always unsure whether to do his undergraduate in physics or engineering, but ended up doing a cross disciplinary masters project in advanced device engineering, where he created an on-chip device to measure the thermoelectric power of 2D materials. Thoroughly enjoying his masters project, this led him to pursue something more engineering based.

With a passion for the automotive industry and technology, hybridising fuel cells and batteries for automotive applications was the perfect fit. Robert joined the EIL in September 2018 to start his PhD as part of the CDT in Fuel Cells and Their Fuels under the supervision of Prof. Dan Brett and Prof. Paul Shearing.

Research

Project title: Development of Hybrid Fuel Cell / Li-ion Systems

His main research interests lie in

-  Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

-  Hybrid fuel cell vehicle system design

-  Hybrid fuel cell modelling

-  Fuel cell performance in a varied range of conditions

-  Li-ion batteries and systems

Other activities

Robert enjoys many activities including swimming, running, cycling and photography

  

Publications