Synthesis, structure and properties of responsive solid-state materials

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Responsive materials exhibit unique physical responses under static or variable applied forces or fields. Combination of such physical responses with outstanding mechanical properties of solid-state phases yields functional materials that find applications both at the industrial and consumer levels. The research will focus on two areas of responsive solid-state materials, magnetocaloric and thermoelectric phases. Magnetocaloric materials respond by changing their temperature when the magnetic field is varied and, thus, can be used for magnetic cooling. Thermoelectric materials generate voltage when subject to a temperature gradient or perform cooling/heating when current is passed through them. Our short-term research goals are to design, synthesize and characterize novel high-performance magnetocaloric and thermoelectric phases. By pursuing these goals, we want to attain a better understanding of the intimate relationship between a crystal structure, physical properties and electronic structure in solid-state materials. We also want to develop bonding principles that govern their structures and to use the acquired knowledge for materials design. Responsive materials are well suited for such studies, as the correlation between the crystal structure, valence electron concentration and physical properties can be monitored through a variety of techniques and approaches.