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Prof N D Mathur

Ceramics are inorganic materials that are typically polycrystalline and non-metallic. They continue to be exploited in pottery, as they have been for several millenia, but nowadays they are also exploited in hi-tech products for their electrical, optical, mechanical and thermal properties (magnetic properties will not be considered here).

In this course, we will explore the basic science and applications of these materials, exploiting the electrical degree of freedom in all cases. We will discuss current applications that include fuel cells, data storage and flash goggles; and future applications that include nanoswitches and electrocaloric cooling.

  • This lecture course will cover:
  • Dielectric properties of ceramics
  • Electrical conductivity in ceramics
  • Piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity and ferroelectricity
  • Electro-optic ceramics