Research Projects

The ABO3 type perovskite structure of materials is known for its excellent ferroelectric/piezoelectric properties, which are widely used in electronic devices like non-volatile random access memory, high-dielectric-constant capacitors, piezoelectric sensors, and ultrasonic transducers. The properties of these materials depend on their crystal structure, movement of interfaces, and grain size. Understanding these factors is crucial for improving the performance of ferroelectric ceramics embedded in electronic devices. The design of solid-state refrigeration based on electrocaloric effect (ECE) has gained interest due to its environmental, energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and easy miniaturization. This project aims to fabricate highly dense ABO3-type perovskite structured ceramic samples using solid-state and sol-gel methods and investigate their microstructural correlation with dielectric, ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and electrocaloric properties for future sensors, actuators, and solid-state refrigerators. The research group at Jawaharlal Nehru University SCNS, India, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Hana Ursic at Jozef Stefan Institute JSI, Slovenia, will collaborate to enhance the quality of research work and scientific understanding in this area. The project will involve fabricating highly dense single phase ceramic samples, performing structural and phase analyses using XRD, and examining the topography, microstructure, and local electrical properties of the resulting samples. The expected results include strong collaboration between JSI and SCNS, JNU researchers, correlation of crystal structure, movement of ferroelectric domains, and average grain size on performance of prepared materials, joint conference presentations, and research publications in scientific journals.