NER: Nanowire-Based Multiferroic Oxide Heterostructures

本研究的目的是合成和表征多铁性铁磁-铁电纳米线异质结构，以便从根本上了解新型一维体系中磁电效应的双重功能。多铁性是指其中至少有两种铁电、铁磁/反铁磁和铁弹性相共存的材料。这些磁、电和形状改变特性的耦合，称为磁电效应，允许在单相或复合材料系统中实现独特的双重功能。该方法将利用气相和溶液合成技术来制备CoFe2O4-BaTiO3的核壳纳米线异质结构。为了使活性性能随合成条件和几何形状的变化而合理化，将使用透射电子显微镜对复合纳米结构进行详细的材料表征。合成的纳米线的磁性、铁电性和磁电性将用各种方法进行量化。智力优势：相对未被探索的多铁性纳米结构几何结构为理解和利用铁电材料和铁磁材料之间的耦合效应提供了几种可能性。复合磁电纳米线的发展为新型存储介质、致动器、换能器和其他几种实时传感器应用提供了潜在的新技术机会。更广泛的影响：研究成果将通过年度研讨会直接与阿拉巴马大学信息技术材料多学科中心的工业赞助商进行交流。这将为教职员工和学生提供传播研究成果的独特机会。该研究项目还将通过参加本科生暑期研究体验(REU)计划，帮助未被充分代表的学生进入以研究为导向的职业生涯。

The objective of this research is the synthesis and characterization of multiferroic ferromagnetic-ferroelectric nanowire heterostructures in order to fundamentally understand the dual functionality of the magneto-electric effect in novel one-dimensional systems. Multiferroics are materials in which at least two of the ferroelectric, ferro/antiferro-magnetic and ferroelastic phases co-exist. The coupling of these magnetic, electronic and shape altering properties, referred to as a magneto-electric effect, allows for unique dual functionality in a single-phase or composite material system. The approach will be to fabricate core-shell nanowire heterostructures of CoFe2O4 - BaTiO3 using vapor phase and solution synthesis techniques. To rationalize the active properties as a function of synthesis conditions and geometry, detailed materials characterization of the composite nanostrustructure will be conducted using transmission electron microscopy. The magnetic, ferroelectric and magnetoelectric properties of the synthesized nanowires will be quantified using various methods. Intellectual Merit: The relatively unexplored nanostructured geometry for multiferroics offers several possibilities to understand and exploit the coupling effects between ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials. The development of composite magnetoelectric nanowires provides for potentially new technological opportunities in novel memory storage media, actuators, transducers and several other real-time sensor applications. Broader Impact:The research results will be directly interfaced with the industrial sponsors of the multi-disciplinary Center for Materials for Information Technology at the University of Alabama through yearly workshops. This will provide faculty and students unique opportunities to disseminate the research results. The research project will also help direct an underrepresented student into a research orientated career through participation in the summer research experience for undergraduate (REU) program.