Discovery of new functional oxides by combinatorial methods

Completed

Not Energy Related
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor N Alford
Materials
Imperial College London

Standard

EPSRC

16 September 2004

31 January 2007

29 months

£280,401

Materials sciences

London

Physical Sciences

Professor N Alford, Materials, Imperial College London

Project Contact, Faraday: INSIGHT (Chemical Throughput)
Project Contact, University of Southampton
Project Contact, Morgan Electro Ceramics
Project Contact, Powerwave UK Ltd
Project Contact, Ceres Power Limited
Project Contact, Lucideon Ltd
Project Contact, The Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education
Project Contact, Anglo-European College of Chiropractic

This proposal intends using a new and recently commissioned combinatorial robot to prepare samples of functional oxide materials. The consortium s expertise lies in several areas of functional materials but we intend concentrating on:* Transport in oxides - both electronic and ionic. New electrode materials and new ionic conductors are required for high efficiency fuel cells.ferroelectric / paraelectric properties. New ferroelectric / paraelectric materials are required for voltage tuneable devices. In particular we require low loss materials.* Dielectric properties. New dielectrics are required in a wide range of applications from dielectric resonator materials with low loss and relative permittivities in the region 30, 80, and 150 to new gate dielectrics for transistors.The method used to conduct the search is novel and makes use of a purpose-built ink jet printer technique. This avoids any strain effects that may be associated with thin film methods. Such effects can cause difficulties when making measurements in compounds with complex permittivity, for example ferroelectrics and paraelectrics. The consortium has the means to produce the samples, possesses the characterisation equipment (XRD/EPMA/Raman/IR/SIMS) and has well developed plans for high throughput characterisation. Importantly, we also have clear plans on the measurement of function (Microwave dielectric loss, relative permittivity, electronic and ionic conductivity) on the samples produced by the robot.Finally, we will use our access to first class computing facilities to process the very large data sets that will be produced. We will make use of the technologies being developed for searching large data sets, such as genetic algorithm searches, inductive logic programming, and data modelling with neural networks. At first these tools will be used to extract meaning from the data but a future goal is to investigate to what extent the instrument can steer itself. The instrument will be a partoftheemerging UK Grid which will provide methods for accessing it remotely consistent with other Grid enabled instruments. The Grid also provides a paradigm for encapsulating the instrument as a general provider of data which can be trivially connected to data sinks on the Grid, such as other search tools, visualisation, teaching aids

01/01/07