My research is primarily directed towards the magnetic properties of non-equilibrium and metastable materials, with particular emphasis placed on nanostructured materials for electromagnetic device applications. The key elements involved in this area of research are nanostructure-magnetic properties relationships, nanostructural formation mechanisms and magnetism in nanostructured systems (e.g., random anisotropy and exchange-spring effects). Major experimental techniques employed in my research include melt-spinning, sputtering, electron microscopy, atomic/magnetic force microscopy, thermal analysis, ac-susceptometry, small-angle neutron scattering and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Successful outcomes from my research in this field include the development of nanocrystalline Fe-M-B (M = early transition metal) soft magnetics alloys (US Patents No. 5449419 and No. 5474624) and the development of a two-phase random anisotropy model. I am also interested in other functional materials in the area of sustainable energy technologies such as hydrogen storage and permeation alloys. Recent research topics are summarised as follows:
Nanostructured soft magnetic materials
Nanocomposite exchange-spring magnets
Magneto-transport properties in magnetic materials