Search Results (28)
Chirality and nanoparticles enforced stabilization of topological defects in liquid crystals
Of our main interest in this work is the stabilization of assemblies of topological defects (TDs) in liquid crystals (LCs). Due to the topological origin of TDs, the physics of defects is of interest for all branches of physics, including condensed matter systems, particle physics, and cosmology. LCs represent an …
Processing of heavy-rare-earth-lean Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets for high-temptrature applications
Permanent magnets are materials that generate a magnetic field in free space without electricity or other external energy sources. They are essential components of modern technologies, used in many electrical devices. Nowadays, they are included in technology for renewable sources of energy, such as electrical vehicles, generators and wind turbines. …
Development of methods for electrostatic immobilization and coupling different microbial cells
Naturally formed microbial communities are present in the form of cellular aggregates that create a set of diverse biochemical pathways through cross-feeding between the members of the microbial community. One of the most important factors so that some biochemical reactions can occur is the appropriate spatial placement of a particular …
Defect chemistry and hardening of ferroelectric cobalt-doped bismuth ferrite ceramics: doctoral thesis
Bismuth ferrite, BiFeO3 (BFO), has been recognized as a promising lead-free material for high-temperature piezoelectric applications due to its high Curie temperature of 825 °C. However, the practical use of BFO has been limited in particular by its elevated electrical conductivity. In addition, BFO shows the characteristics of ferroelectric hardening, …
Heterogeneous nucleation of iron oxide (γ-Fe2O3) in colloidal systems
Presented work is a study of magnetic iron oxide (referred to as spinel) coating synthesis. The coatings were synthesized on the surfaces of selected core nanoparticles with heterogeneous nucleation during the co-precipitation of the Fe3+/Fe2+ ions. The work is divided into three parts. The first part comprise the synthesis of …
Laser Ablation - Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) - Fundamental Study of Ablation and Deposition Processes
Laser ablation (LA) is a versatile technique that can be used for the elemental analysis of diverse materials as well as for synthesis purposes, i.e. for pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of a wide range of materials. Analysis and synthesis will only be successful if the ablated material can be stoichiometrically …
Synthesis and functionalisation of one-dimensional titanate-based nanostructures
One-dimensional hydrothermally synthesized nanostructures such as nanotubes and nanobelts composed of layered titanates from A2TinO2n+1 family have attracted great interest due to their high specific surface area, ion-exchange ability and semiconducting properties, which make them promising candidates for potential applications in the field of catalysis, gas sensors, dye-sensitized solar cells, …
Development of silicon carbide based implants with improved biocompatibility and mechanical properties
With emerging need for orthopaedic implants and prolonged exposure of organism to implants also problems connected to elution of metal ions that in some cases cause adverse reactions in the human body, emerge. The main aim of our work was therefore to investigate the potential of silicon carbide (SiC) to …
Functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications
The application of magnetic nanoparticles in biomedicine dictates the preparation of properly arranged nanoparticles. The preparation of a stable colloidal suspension of nanoparticles in complex biological media is a prerequisite for all types of applications. Depending on the type of application, the proper coating, functionalization and (bio)conjugation of the nanoparticles …
Giant energy-conversion effects in soft and solid advanced materials
This thesis presents the results of our experimental work in the field of new advanced materials such as liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), electrocalorics and magnetoelectrics. In the first part, the conversion of thermal to mechanical energy is addressed in LCEs. The three important, newly discovered, chemical and physical parameters for …