Train

Preparing the innovators of the future

Part of the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds system, the Research Training Testbed (RTT) provides UW students access to industrial-quality research tools and training in clean energy concepts that cut across academic disciplines.

Image about the Train Lab

Located on the 1st floor of the Nanoengineering and Sciences Building, this facility provides an integrative training environment for upper-division undergraduates and graduate students to learn research techniques that span a wide breadth of clean energy challenges. The RTT hosts laboratory courses on the development of novel energy materials, fabrication and testing of energy devices, and the integration of cleantech into grid systems.

The lab is open to research groups as well as students interested in developing and testing their cleantech prototypes. The lab serves as an interdisciplinary space where students can realize their own energy-related innovations as well as collaborate with scientists and engineers in the clean energy community.

Current course offering: Energy Materials, Devices, and Systems (CHEM 566, MSE 566, ChemE 540)

CEI’s first laboratory course challenges students to learn a wide breadth of energy research techniques including:

  • Nanoparticle synthesis and characterization (CdSe quantum dots)
  • Solar photochemistry – hydrogen fuel production
  • Batteries – fabrication and testing of Li-ion coin cell with carbon electrodes
  • Photovoltaics – Third generation solar cell fabrication and characterization (organic-PVs and perovskites)
  • Semiconductor properties – 2D material fabrication and testing
  • Grid simulation