Would you like to see an excellent poster? How about two, or three, or four, while you are at it?

Dr. Astita Dubey wins her fourth poster prize! This time she presented her research on artificial intelligence for the optimization of perovskite materials for photocatalysis at the fourth CENIDE conference (Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen).
You can find the respective publication here: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c03186
and the poster in our institute.

As part of the Priority Programme SPP 1959 of the German Research Foundation (DFG), our doctoral student Daniil Lewin has received the Publication Prize for the second funding phase.

The awarded paper, titled "Flash and Breakdown: Thermal Runaway and Dielectric Breakdown as Competing Mechanisms During Flash Sintering of Barium Titanate", investigates the unique behavior of barium titanate, a prominent functional ceramic, during flash sintering, a novel method for manufacturing ceramics.

The research was conducted within the framework of the DFG Priority Programme SPP 1959, project ID Lu 729/25-1 (436254098). The publication was supported by the Open-Access Publication Fund of the University of Duisburg-Essen.

At the 2022 joint ISAF-PFM-ECAPD conference, our scientist Astita Dubey received a poster award for her paper "Ferroelectricity in doped Bismuth Ferrite Nanoparticles", her third poster award overall. Ms. Dubey received certificate along with prize money and other gifts from the IEEE organizing committee.

Ferroelectricity in Gd and Mn doped Bismuth Ferrite (Bi_0.95Gd_0.05Fe_0.95Mn_0.05O₃) nanoparticles (NPs) are investigated using piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Local PFM hysteresis loops confirm the switching of polarization direction in all NPs and validate the ferroelectricity in these NPs. Gd doping into BiFe_0.95Mn_0.05O₃ NPs results in large increase in PFM signal. Bi_0.95Gd_0.05Fe_0.95Mn_0.05O₃ NPs retain the polarized state at least till 24 hrs. Gd distorts the pristine crystal structure of BiFeO₃ and affects the relative displacement of Bi and Fe cations along the polar axis [111]_c. Such properties of NPs can be utilized in piezo-photocatalysis, photovoltaics and electrocatalysis.

We all cordially congratulate Ms. Astita Dubey on the award and best wishes for her future research. Keep it up!

At the ferroelectric conference “Fundamental Physics of Ferroelectrics 2021” our research scholar Astita Dubey received the best student presentation award for her contribution “A-site Doped BiFe_0.95Mn_0.05O₃ Nanoparticles for the Photocatalytic Applications”. Ms. Astita Dubey received a 150 dollar with certificate from the organizing committee of the conference.

Bismuth Ferrite (BFO) Nanoparticles (NPs) not only display multiferroic properties at room temperature (RT) but they are also good visible light absorbers with a narrow band gap of 2.18 eV. BFO is also known for its large spontaneous ferroelectric polarization at RT yielding a large pyroelectric coefficient. All these properties together can be utilized in photocatalysis, photovoltaics and data storage.

Ms. Astita Dubey has explored the Bi site cation doping effect on BiFe_0.95Mn_0.05O₃ NPs. An enhanced photocatalytic efficiency for the degradation of organic dyes in water was achieved via tuning the band gap, increased surface area of NPs and exploiting ferroelectric behavior.

More details can be found on the poster in the university building V15 S05 next to V15S05D08. For online view, you can visit on this website https://www.materialsbydesign.org/student-postdoc-award-winners-2021.

We all warmly congratulate Ms. Astita Dubey on the award and best wishes for her research!

For several decades, the Sparkasse am Niederrhein has been awarding the Innovation Prize in Engineering Sciences for outstanding, application-oriented research from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Each year, a committee selects the best dissertation and the best master thesis from numerous submissions. In 2019, the award for the best master thesis was granted to Mr. Felix Paul.

His thesis, titled "Physical Properties of Granular Frazil Ice", investigates the physical characteristics of frazil ice in Antarctica. Frazil ice is the first form of ice to develop during the annual freezing process in Antarctica. The concentration of frazil ice serves as the foundation for the aggregation of ice crystals into ice floes and ultimately for the complete coverage of the Southern Ocean by a continuous ice sheet. This ice cover significantly influences the global radiation balance and climate warming. Thus, frazil ice plays a crucial role in the global climate system.

"The prize is awarded for a truly fascinating piece of work," said Prof. Lupascu, thanking the recipient after the ceremony. "I would like to thank Mr. Felix Paul, Dr.-Ing. Tommy Mielke, Dr.-Ing. Carina Nisters, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Jörg Schröder for their outstanding support during the expedition."

The recipient himself was overjoyed: "I sincerely thank the Sparkasse am Niederrhein and the Engineering Sciences Support Association for awarding me this prize. A special thanks also goes to my supervisors. Without their guidance and support, this work would not have been possible at this scale or quality."

At the 2019 IEEE ISAF-ICE-EMF-IWPM-PFM Joint Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, our research scholar Astita Dubey received the diploma of finalist of best student paper award for her contribution ‘Tuning Optical, Structural and Multiferroic Properties of Bismuth Ferrite (BiFeO₃) Nanoparticles by co-doping with Ba and Mn’.

Bismuth Ferrite (BFO) Nanoparticles are single phase multiferroic materials exhibit magnetoelectric properties at room temperature with a narrow band gap 2.18 eV. Due to these features it can potentially be utilized in the avenues of data storage, sensors and photo catalysts.

As a part of her Ph.D. research, Ms. Astita Dubey has explored the Ba and Mn co-doping effect on BFO Nanoparticles. The enhancement of ferromagnetic properties with retaining ferroelectric behavior as well as tuning of band gap was explored via Ba and Mn co-doping into the BFO lattice system.

For more details, the poster hangs in the showcase in V15 S05, University building V15.

We congratulate Ms. Astita Dubey on her achievement and best wishes for her upcoming research!

At the Thermag VIII (International Conference on Caloric Cooling) in Darmstadt, our master student Maksim O. Karabasov received the award for his poster entitled "Anisotropy of the Electrocaloric Effect in Barium Titanate."

The electrocaloric effect is considered a promising eco-friendly alternative to conventional cooling systems. As part of his master thesis, Mr. Karabasov investigated how the direction of the electric field affects the magnitude of the electrocaloric effect in barium titanate single crystals. He demonstrated that the effect changes sign for certain field orientations, a finding that could hold significant potential for practical applications.

We extend our warmest congratulations to Mr. Karabasov on this outstanding achievement!

Each year, the Sparkasse Duisburg honors the best theses from the University of Duisburg-Essen with an award. This year, four doctoral dissertations and five master theses were honoured. Dr. Danka Dittmer-Gobeljic was recognized for her doctoral thesis "Polar Microstructure and Nanoscale Electromechanical Behavior of Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramics." The jury was particularly impressed by her outstanding work on nano-characterization of material surfaces.

In her dissertation, Dr. Dittmer-Gobeljic investigated local order and disorder in a specific class of ferroelectric materials known as "relaxors." These materials exhibit exceptionally high piezoelectric coefficients, making them particularly valuable for applications in "smart materials" within adaptive systems. Until now, the microscopic mechanisms responsible for these large coefficients remained only partly understood. Dr. Dittmer-Gobeljic made significant contributions by analyzing nanoscale domain structures using piezoresponse force microscopy, thereby advancing the fundamental understanding of these materials.

We extend our warmest congratulations to her on this well-deserved achievement!

This thesis was funded by the European Union within the Initial Training Network (ITN) NANOMOTION, contract number FP7-People-2011-ITN-290158.

In 2016, the Gottschalk-Diederich-Baedeker Prize was awarded to our colleague PD Dr. Vladimir V. Shvartsman, who teaches and conducts research at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Dr. Shvartsman is an internationally recognized expert in atomic force microscopy.

We extend our warmest congratulations to him on this prestigious award!

At the scientific conference titled "First International Symposium on Dielectric Materials and Applications" (ISyDMA'2016) in Kenitra, Morocco, our researcher Mehmet Sanlialp earned recognition with his presentation on "Direct Measurements of the Electrocaloric Effect in Lead-Free Ferroelectric Ceramics." He received the Best Poster Award from the conference organizing committee, distinguishing himself among more than 200 participants.

We extend our warmest congratulations to him on this outstanding achievement!

The table made from ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), designed by students Niklas Markloff and Daniel Rauch from the Industrial Design department at Folkwang University and developed in collaboration with the Institute of Materials Science at the University of Duisburg-Essen, was previously presented and later exhibited at the "Designer Towers – Passagen 2014, Interior Design Week" trade fair in Cologne in January. The piece attracted significant interest both for its design and for its innovative, exceptional material. At the end of October, the table was awarded a special prize at the "DesignTalente Handwerk NRW 2014" event held at the Chamber of Crafts in Cologne.