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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/S85238/01
Title: Discovery of new functional oxides by combinatorial methods
Principal Investigator: Kilner, Professor JA
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Ceres Power Ltd Faraday: INSIGHT (Chemical throughput) Lucideon Ltd
Morgan Electro Ceramics Powerwave UK Ltd University of Southampton
Department: Materials
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 October 2004 Ends: 31 March 2008 Value (£): 281,841
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Fuel Cell Technologies Materials Characterisation
Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Manufacturing Communications
Electronics Energy
Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
GR/S85252/01 GR/S85269/01 GR/S85245/02
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
This proposal intends using a new and recently commissioned combinatorial robot to prepare samples of functional oxide materials. The consortium's expertise lies in several areas of functional materials but we intend concentrating on:* Transport in oxides - both electronic and ionic. New electrode materials and new ionic conductors are required for high efficiency fuel cells.ferroelectric / paraelectric properties. New ferroelectric / paraelectric materials are required for voltage tuneable devices. In particular we require low loss materials.* Dielectric properties. New dielectrics are required in a wide range of applications from dielectric resonator materials with low loss and relative permittivities in the region 30, 80, and 150 to new gate dielectrics for transistors.The method used to conduct the search is novel and makes use of a purpose-built ink jet printer technique. This avoids any strain effects that may be associated with thin film methods. Such effects can cause difficulties when making measurements in compounds with complex permittivity, for example ferroelectrics and paraelectrics. The consortium has the means to produce the samples, possesses the characterisation equipment (XRD/EPMA/Raman/IR/SIMS) and has well developed plans for high throughput characterisation. Importantly, we also have clear plans on the measurement of function (Microwave dielectric loss, relative permittivity, electronic and ionic conductivity) on the samples produced by the robot.Finally, we will use our access to first class computing facilities to process the very large data sets that will be produced. We will make use of the technologies being developed for searching large data sets, such as genetic algorithm searches, inductive logic programming, and data modelling with neural networks. At first these tools will be used to extract meaning from the data but a future goal is to investigate to what extent the instrument can steer itself. The instrument will be a part of the emerging UK Grid which will provide methods for accessing it remotely consistent with other Gridenabled instruments. The Grid also provides a paradigm for encapsulating the instrument as a general provider of data which can be trivially connected to data sinks on the Grid, such as other search tools, visualisation, teaching aids.
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Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk