First Supervisor: Dr. Miryam Arredondo
Facilities/funding: Ewald Microscopy Facilities
Contact details to discuss project: [Email Address Removed].
Closing date: 07th August 2023
Expected start date: September 2023
Ferroelectric materials are a fascinating class of polar oxides of the form ABO3 with the ability to switch their electric polarization direction with the application of an external electric field. These materials contain pockets of collective polarization known as domains, which have a significant impact on the ferroelectrics’ functionality. Thus, the switching dynamics of domains have generated extensive research in both experimental and theoretical fields.
Domain dynamics are driven by electrostatic boundary conditions and excitingly, ferroelectric materials have enormous potential for use in electrochemistry, where the dipole moment of polar molecules interacts with the polarization of specific ferroelectric domains' surfaces. As such, this interaction has been shown to have a significant impact on the adsorption energies, adsorption modes, and reaction rates of various polar and non-polar molecules. For example, polarisation gas adsorption has been demonstrated, where polarisation dependence on the reversible adsorption of CO2 and CH3OH on ferroelectric surfaces1,2. On the other hand, polarisation screening for different adsorbates has been also reported3,4, providing a valuable insight into the interplay between surface chemistry and screening dynamics.
The potential for manipulating dipole orientation in ferroelectric oxides presents a unique opportunity for tailoring surface reactivity for specific applications, including the fabrication of nanoscale devices, with the promise to have alternative ways to fabricate water splitting devices which are crucial for producing green hydrogen.
The aim of this project is to investigate ferroelectric surface effects at the nanoscale to identify potential tuning mechanisms for applications such as water splitting and catalysis. To achieve this goal, the project will utilize cutting-edge techniques on in-situ heating and atmosphere (gas) in the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The project will also involve developing novel sample preparation techniques and using cutting-edge image analysis methods. This project will be carried out in collaboration with world-leading advanced microscopy centers such as the Ernst Ruska-Centre (ER-C) in Germany and leading experts in the ferroelectrics field.
Continue with Facebook
