Ferrol research centre CITENI advances organic electronics and waste‑heat power

Researchers at the Centre for Naval and Industrial Technologies (CITENI) of the University of Coruña, based in the Campus Industrial de Ferrol, have published two studies that could boost the durability of organic electronic devices and improve the conversion of industrial waste heat into electricity.

The first study, led by researcher Jesika Asatryan, used grazing‑incidence wide‑angle X‑ray scattering (GIWAXS) to analyse how manufacturing conditions affect the internal structure and mechanical strength of the semiconductor polymer D18. The findings provide a method to more accurately measure polymer crystallinity and suggest ways to produce more robust OLED displays, organic field‑effect transistors and organic photovoltaic cells.

The second study, authored by doctoral candidate Ana Ortega Sarceday and Professor Alberto Arce, examined organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems for recovering residual heat from industrial processes. By combining higher‑temperature steam superheating with reheating and applying a particle‑swarm‑optimization algorithm, the team identified configurations that reach a thermal efficiency of about 19.8 % and reduce the investment pay‑back period to under 7.5 years, compared with up to 16 years for less‑optimized designs.