Projects

Magnetic shape-memory alloys
Research into materials that change shape and mechanical properties in the presence of a magnetic field could lead to the development of valves in automotive engines that would open and close automatically when the alloy’s microstructure changed instead of relying on mechanical parts to open and close the valves.

Solid-oxide fuel cells
SOFCs are an exciting non-polluting energy alternative, and such devices rely on the electrical properties of their ceramic components. Increasing the ionic conductivity of ceramic electrolytes is likely to be critical to their future development. Materials with a significant degree of crystallographic disorder are good candidates for such applications and may become part of future energy solutions.

Structure of Sr1-3x/2CexTiO3 dielectric ceramics
Although it is not apparent by x-ray diffraction or vibrational spectroscopy studies, electron diffraction shows evidence that this material must have a non-cubic distortion. The observed 1/2(111) reflection suggests a structure which is stretched along pseudocubic [111], lowering the symmetry from cubic to probably trigonal.