The interest of the working group is focused on the synthesis, processing and characterization of diverse electroceramics with special emphasis in advanced processing technologies leading to ceramic materials and/or devices with enhanced properties. The background of the group is based on its long experience in the synthesis and microstructure control of the so‐called “traditional ceramics” and, of course, of functional ceramics (ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics, isolators, dielectrics, semiconductors, multiferroics) whose properties come from complex micro and nanostructures that can be achieved if novel synthesis and processing routes are used. The knowledge about chemical and physical phenomena associated to grain and grain boundary processes are the key factors of the group skills.
The ability of the working group to establish correlations in the tetrahedron synthesis ‐ processing ‐ (micro/nano)structure ‐ properties, allows us to obtain adequate information to design and develop new functional ceramic materials for their integration into current and emerging technologies.
The scientific developments of the working group can be summarized from two main points of view:
- Innovative processes for the enhancement of the materials performance
- Better understanding of the physical and chemical phenomena involved during the fabrication of functional ceramics
The different projects, either competitive or with private companies (in the last five years around 50% of the budget of the group has come from private companies), as well as publications in the top journals in ceramic science support the capacity of the team. In the frame of these jobs and projects the working group has acquired a deep knowledge about the interphase phenomena related to nanostructure development and the functional response of different types of ceramic materials. Nanoparticle synthesis from chemical routes, particle functionalization and selected nanocoatings on different particles among others skills have been the basis for the fabrication of new electroceramic materials. The use of new sintering approaches suited to control the kinetics of the diffusion mechanisms in the modified micro(nano)‐functional particles has allowed to achieve nanostructured materials and functional nanophases with scientific and industrial interest.
Specific Equipment: In addition to the facilities of the Department of Electroceramics and the Instituto de Ceramica y Vidrio (see www.icv.csic.es), the working group counts itself with a specific laboratory for the preparation and characterization of functional ceramics.
Conferences Organization: The members of the group are strongly involved in the Spanish Ceramic and Glass Society (SECV in Spanish), being very active in its Electroceramics division. The group also exhibits a wide experience in organizing both national and international conferences:
- “SECV National Meeting”. Since 1991 (yearly conference, biennial since 2014).
- “Electroceramica National Meeting”. Since 1991 (biennial meeting).
- “ECerS 2015 -14th International Conference Eropean Ceramic Society”, Toledo, Spain, 2015.
- “Electroceramics X. 10th International Conference on Electroceramics”, Toledo, Spain, 2006.
- “10th International Meeting on Ferroelectricity”, Madrid, Spain, 2001.
- “European COST 525 Kick-off Workshop: Advanced Electroceramics, Grain Boundary Engineering”, Madrid, Spain, 2001.
Collaborating entities: The working group is an active partner of the Associate Unit between the Department of Electroceramics of ICV and the Department of Applied Physics of the E.T.S.I. of Telecommunication (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid). Also, it keeps ongoing collaboration with several research groups around the world:
- Institut Jozef Stefan (IJS), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, UK.
- Department of Ceramics and Glass Engineering, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal.
- Inorganic and Physical Chemstry Group, Institute for Materials Research (IMO-IMOMEC), Hasselt University, Belgium.
- Electrochemistry and Ceramics Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Araraquara (LIEC), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
- Institute of Materials Jean Rouxel, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Nantes, France.
- Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Materials Synthesis and Processing (IEK-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencia e Ingeniería de Materiales e Ingeniería Química, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), Spain.
- Departamento de Física de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain.
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain.
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain.
- Centro Tecnológico Metalmecánico y del Transporte (CETEMET), Jaen, Spain.
- Departamento de Electrónica Física, ETSI Telecomunicación, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Spain.
- Centro Instrumental Químico-Físico para el Desarrollo de Investigación Aplicada (CIDIA), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
- Inasmet-Tecnalia Technological Center, San Sebastián, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), México.
- Grupo de Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales Cerámicos (CYTEMAC), Departamento de Física, Universidad del Cauca, Popayán, Colombia.
- Departamento de Física, Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN), Quito, Ecuador.
- Departamento de Sistema Solar, Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, Granada, Spain.
- Vall d´Hebron Institut de Reserca (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain .
- Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany.
And as mentioned, intense collaboration has been carried out with different companies: IMEFY S.L., INAEL Electrical Systems S.A., ROCA Sanitario S.A., IBERDROLA Distribución Eléctrica S.A.U., PROINTEC S.A., KERABEN S.A., FRITTA S.L., Pastas Cerámicas VICAR S.A., Ormazabal Corporate Technology A.I.E., Prefabricados UNIBLOCK S.A., Alquimia Soluciones Ambientales S.L. and Acciona Agua S.A.