A CAREER Plan: New Mixed-Valent Layered Perovskites to Elucidate Structure-Property Relationships

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9733329 Geselbracht Understanding structure-property relationships is the key to unlocking the ability to tailor-design new superconductors and other materials with interesting electronic and magnetic properties. This CAREER award will support research focused on the synthesis and characterization of new mixed-valent materials with layered perovskite-type structures. Specifically, new mixed- valent titanates and niobates will be targeted via direct preparation in molten chloride fluxes. Characterization of the electronic and magnetic properties of these materials will elucidate structure--property relationships in a series of compounds with similar structures and varying compositions. The results of this research will expand the repertoire of synthetic strategies to early transition metal oxides and provide valuable insight into what structural and electronic features are necessary for superconductivity in reduced titanates and niobates. The educational plan will emphasize mentoring undergraduate students in research and integrating the theme of structure-property relationships in layered perovskites into the Introductory Inorganic Chemistry course through the development of several new laboratory projects. In addition, a student-based outreach program to local high school chemistry classrooms will be initiated, and illustrative examples of structure-property relationships in extended solids will be disseminated to the larger educational community through the development of a World Wide Web site. %%% In an inherently interdisciplinary field like materials research, the role of the solid state chemist is to lead the drive to discover new materials with interesting properties. New materials will, in turn, stimulate physicists, materials scientists, and engineers to think about ways to harness these properties for technological applications. The discovery of new materials lies at the heart of this research plan and remains central to future progress in ma terials research. On a broader level, the primary impact of this work will be the rich educational experience of undergraduates participating in cutting-edge research. Through this project, students at Reed College will experience how modern science is done and the role of chemists in shaping the solid state materials of the future. ***