CD Laboratory for Advanced Ferroic Oxides

Ferroics are functional materials whose physical properties react sensitively to changes in temperature, pressure, electric and magnetic fields. The relationships between the properties of these materials and their chemical components, the manufacturing conditions and the microstructure are at the centre of research interest. Based on the deepening of basic knowledge, they are further developed and optimised for new areas of application.

Due to their outstanding physical characteristics, ferroic materials can be found in almost every electronic device. They are characterised by ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity and ferroelasticity, which change under certain environmental influences. At high temperatures, for example, the polarisation of materials with ferroelectric properties disappears and the magnetisation of materials with ferromagnetic properties disappears.

In order to expand the areas of application of ferroics and utilise them for modern technologies, a fundamental understanding of these materials is being developed as part of the research work. This includes analysing the ionic and electronic conductivity as well as the long-term consequences of degradation processes in the materials. Research is also being conducted into which processes determine the service life and resilience of products containing ferroic materials. These include ceramic materials, which are essential components of capacitors and magnetic cores. Advanced fuel injection systems for vehicles, for example, contain components made of piezo ceramics. However, the potential of this material is only realised through the interactions of its special ferroelectric and ferroelastic properties. Detailed knowledge of the interactions between different ferroic properties is therefore of particular interest. The development of completely new couplings of such characteristics is a central goal of the investigations.

The basis for future applications of ferroica in electroceramic components is being created as part of research activities in collaboration with the University of Birmingham. One focus is the development of new concepts for the structural modification of the materials. The optimisation of the primary properties and their long-term behaviour in the electric field are being considered. The compatibility of ferroics with metals such as silver, palladium or copper is also being researched in detail. Such combinations are used in metal-ceramic multilayer systems. Last but not least, the focus is also on investigating defects in the atomic structure in order to analyse their effects on the functionality of the materials. This will lead to an improvement and greater stability of these materials under electrical and thermal load.