First Scientific Awards: Students Who Completed Summer Internships at FTMC Recognised at the Research Council of Lithuania Conference

FTMC contributes to the development of young scientific talent. During July and August, 20 students of physics, chemistry and materials engineering completed summer internships at our Center through a programme initiated and funded by the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL).

The students presented their achievements at the concluding scientific internship conference. The event featured oral and poster presentation sessions and concluded with awards for the highest-rated participants.

Among this year's authors of the best presentations were three students who carried out their internships at FTMC. These are the first awards of their scientific careers.

(Kristupas Černeckis. Photo from personal archive)

Kristupas Černeckis, who is about to begin the second year of his Bachelor's degree at the Vilnius University Faculty of Physics, delivered an oral presentation entitled High-Performance Laser Interference Structuring for the Development of Next-Generation Functional Materials (supervisor: Dr Aleksej Rodin).

"My research focused on laser-generated surface textures, namely microscopic grooves that can impart various functional properties to materials. We primarily concentrated on hydrophobicity," says Kristupas.

The aim of his summer internship was to use a low-cost laser developed at FTMC Solid-State Lasers Laboratory to create microscopic grooves. The research will continue, and the grooves will be tested to determine whether the desired level of hydrophobicity has been achieved.

"The potential applications of such materials are very broad, for example in anti-corrosion coatings for cars or ships. These structures can also provide other useful properties. In Germany, researchers are studying grooves of a similar depth that can reduce aerodynamic drag. The goal is to apply them to aircraft surfaces, which could save several per cent of fuel on a single journey. Flights could become cheaper as a result," Kristupas explains.

(Gerarda Jocytė. Photo: Gabrielius Mackevičius / FTMC)

Gerarda Jocytė, a Master's student at the Vilnius University Faculty of Physics, presented a poster entitled Optimisation of the Sulfurisation Process for the Production of Sustainable AgBiS₂ Thin Films (supervisor: Dr Vidas Pakštas). At FTMC Department of Characterisation of Materials Structure, she studied silver bismuth sulphide, a material capable of detecting light and suitable for use in infrared sensors (photodetectors).

"This material is becoming increasingly important, particularly in communications technologies. I investigated how to grow high-quality AgBiS₂ films and improve their performance," says Gerarda.

(Dovilė Škarnulytė. Photo: Gabrielius Mackevičius / FTMC)

Another award recipient was Dovilė Škarnulytė, a Master's student at the Vilnius University Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences. She presented the poster Investigation of the Structural Stability of a Zinc Hexacyanoferrate Cathode in Zinc-Ion Batteries (supervisor: Dr Jurgis Pilipavičius). Her internship took place at FTMC Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology.

Dovilė is contributing to the development of next-generation zinc-ion batteries:

"Current lithium batteries pose safety risks because they use organic electrolytes. Zinc offers an alternative that allows the use of water-based, non-flammable electrolytes. It is a step towards a safer, greener and more sustainable future."

Summer of Science with RCL is one of the most important programmes for fostering young academic talent. It gives students the opportunity to take their first steps into real scientific research: working alongside experienced researchers, contributing to new discoveries, and seeing first-hand the tangible value that scientific research creates for society and the state.

Info: FTMC