Research Tools

· Synthesis, processing and characterization of novel nanostructured/composite materials (Rare earth-transition metals, intermetallic compounds, ferrites, perovskites, superconductors)
· The investigation of magnetic, structural, microstructure/microchemistry, thermodynamic and hydrogen absorption/desorption properties
· Rietveld analysis (with many programs of CCP14 – Mostly by using RIETICA)
· Modelling of electronic structures (CEASAR package, Materials Studio)
· Modelling of selected area electron diffractions (JEMS software)
· Power losses analysis
· Resistivity measurements
· Modelling on Mössbauer spectra (MOSSWIN 3.0)

· Sample preparation with: Arc-melting, Melt-spinning, Ball Milling – Mechanical Alloying, Sintering-annealing, E-beam Evaporation, colloidal

· Characterizing with: X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy / Energy Dispersion Analysis X-rays (SEM/EDAX), Transition Electron Microscopy / Selected Area Diffraction (TEM/SAED), Magnetic measurements with VSM, SQUID, Extraction and Pulse Magnetometers, Differential Thermal Analysis / Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DTA/DSC), Particle Size Analyzer, Resistance measurements (LCR), Electro-Magnetic Measurement Analysis (EMMA), Leica microscope

· Analysis by using: Rietveld method, simulation on TEM/SAD, IRM – DCD – DeltaM – Henkel and Minor Hysteresis loops for magnetic interaction’s study, Thermomagnetic Analysis (TMA), Magnetic Anisotropy, Susceptibility, Power Losses, simulation of Mössbauer spectra.

Materials (in lab)

Rare Earth – Transition Metal Compounds (Magnetic Materials, Metal Hydrides/Batteries)
Intermetallics – (Metal hydrides, Magnetic Materials, Biomaterials)
Oxides – Perovskites/Electrolytes (SOFC) and Ferrites (Power Electronics, Magnetic Materials)

Experimental

• Development processes
1) Arc melting
2) High energy planetary ball miller
3) rapid solidification techniques
• Hydrogen storage processes
1) Volumetric Sievert type apparatus
2) Activation procedure for hydrogen absorption
3) Mechanical Alloying under hydrogen atmosphere

• Study – Characterization
1) XRD
2) SEM-TEM-HRSEM
3) Magnetic Measurements (VSM-SQUID-EXTRACTION)
4) Thermal Analysis – DSC/DTA
5) Atomic/Magnetic Force Microscopy (AFM/MFM)
7) LCR-measurements

• Modeling – simulation processes
1) Van’t Hoff diagrams, Pressure Composition Temperature Isotherms, Kinetics, Diffusivity
2) Rietveld analysis – Structural Properties
3) Magnetic viscosity
4) Modelling on SAED
5) Modelling on HR-TEM
6) Fermi, DOS spectra (Materials Studio)
7) Comsol, Matlab

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