The mission of the HORATES network is to use the large expertise on all aspects of hybrid and organic thermoelectrics that is available in the European Union for :
(a) the strategic training of excellent young researchers in an emerging, interdisciplinary field and
(b) the rational development of prototype energy harvesters, inspired by actual market demand.
Scientific and technological objectives.
HORATES has identified 5 clear objectives to be reached within the network activities, which are critical for the consolidation and advancement of EU leadership in this field. These targets will be an integral part of the training program that is outlined below.
1) Synthesis of new, thermally and electrochemically stable organic materials and composites with record values significantly beyond the state-of-the-art.
2) Development of a general and basic understanding of the structure-morphology-property nexus.
3) Development of quantitative and predictive multiscale models for all quantities in ZT.
4) Design and fabrication of stable printed OTEG modules with a power density p > 1 µW/cm2 at small temperature differences of = 10°C.
5) Inclusive library of hybrid/organic printable TE materials as reference for future R&D activities.
Training program.
The HORATES training will be developed at three different levels: local training, network-wide training, and secondments.
At a local level, each ESR will follow lectures, seminars and mandatory courses addressing both scientific and transferrable skill.
In complement, HORATES will offer 6 network-wide events in which we will combine 5 international schools on more specific scientific topics and 5 workshops on complementary and transferrable skills.
To train the ESRs in different scientific fields from the one at their host institution and to expose them to different working methods, HORATES foresees at least 2 secondments per ESR, with at least one in a company of the network for students working at an academic institute and vice versa.
