|
|
|
Electronic and Magnetic Materials
Progress in high efficiency and miniaturization of electrochemical devices requires breakthroughs in the performance of both electrolyte and electrode materials as well as novel device design. The research team at Monash is at the forefront of research in electromaterials for advanced technologies including Lithium batteries, solar energy and more recently biocompatible energy sources (eg. Mg battery). Much of this research is being undertaken under the auspices of the Australian Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials Science and in collaboration with the University of Wollongong. The possibility of reducing CO2 emissions through the use of battery or Fuel Cell powered electric vehicles and solar energy devices is a tremendous driving force for this research.
Research is ongoing in the field of the novel electrolytes based on ionic liquids, plastic crystals (materials which are crystalline in nature but display significant plasticity and ionic transport), nanocomposites and polymer gels. Some of this research focuses on the design and understanding of new electrode and electrolyte materials for the development of tandem dye sensitized solar cells as well as monolithic and flexible solar cells.
Intrinsically conducting polymers such as poly(pyrrole) and poly(thiophenes) are also being investigated both from the fundamental understanding perspective as well as for device applications. New chemical preparation methods lead to unexpected ordering and record high conductivities. Coupled with structural and spectroscopic characterization, this research is leading to new insights as to the mode of conduction in these materials. Coupled with the novel ionic liquid electrolytes developed at Monash, some of these materials are finding uses in batteries, solar cells and actuators.
Another major area of research in the department is magnetism and magnetic materials with an emphasis placed on magnetic nanostructures. Magnetic materials have various and wide ranging applications, from ground transport to aircrafts, and are nowadays considered an integral class of functional materials. Significant developments in both magnetically soft and hard materials have occurred since the 1980s, including the development of amorphous and newer nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloys, and Nd-Fe-B rare-earth hard magnetic alloys and nanocomposite exchange-spring magnets. With the development of new magnetic materials, the performance and efficiency of devices using these materials has been improved with concomitant decreases in weight and volume.
SmCo-based permanent magnets have been studied intensively by Xiangyuan Xiong. SmCo-based permanent magnets have the highest Curie temperature, amongst the rare-earth permanent magnets, and have drawn extensive attention recently as high performance permanent magnets operating at temperatures in excess of 500°C.
Kiyonori Suzuki’s research is primarily directed towards the magnetic and magneto-transport properties of magnetic nanostructures. 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 the department include melt-spinning, sputtering, electron microscopy, thermal analysis, ac-susceptometry, small-angle neutron scattering and Mössbauer spectroscopy.
Active researchers in this field:
|
