Sol-Gel Centre for Inorganic Powders and Thin films Synthesis - SCRiPTS
Research towards solution based synthesis routes for the preparation of ceramic coatings, nanoparticles and bulk materials.
Director : Prof.Dr. Isabel Van Driessche
Email : Isabel.VanDriessche@ugent.be
Phone : 0032 9 264 44 33
Address : Krijgslaan 281 S3 - 9000 Ghent Belgium
Website : www.scripts.ugent.be
Research topics :
- Nanoparticles for pinning: controlled synthesis of monodisperse metal oxide nanocrystals (e.g. ZrO2, HfO2, Ta2O5, BaZrO3), stabilization of the resulting nanocrystals in high ionic environments (e.g. methanol based YBa2Cu3O7-x or YBCO precursor solution) and processing into a coated conductor.
Contact information : Prof. Dr. Isabel Van Driessche - 0032 9 264 44 33 - isabel.vandriessche@ugent.be - Titania coatings on polymers: cheap synthesis of crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles through microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis. The use of crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles makes it possible to deposit transparent TiO2 coatings at reduced temperatures on polymers.
Contact information : Dr. Petra Lommens - 0032 9 264 96 84 - petra.lommens@ugent.be
- Ink-jet printing of superconducting YBCO layers: strobe controlled illumination system for monitoring droplet formation and travelling, patterning, complete coverage, piezo-electric or electromagnetic printheads.
Contact information : Prof. Dr. Isabel Van Driessche - 0032 9 264 44 33 - isabel.vandriessche@ugent.be
- New synthesis methods for mesoporous titania: Method 1: synthesis of TiO2 nanocrystals and subsequent ordening of the crystals by addition of micelle forming surfactants that contains a functional chemical group that can chemically anchor the nanocrystals. Method 2: use of thermally more stable polymers that degrade at higher temperatures, when the titania precursor is already crystallized.
Contact information : Dr. Petra Lommens - 0032 9 264 96 84 - petra.lommens@ugent.be
- Buffer layers for coated conductors: use of concentrated aqueous solutions for SrTiO3 and YBiO3 as buffer layers, which allows the deposition of thick layers (> 100 nm) in a single coating step through ink-jet printing.
Contact information : Prof. Dr. Isabel Van Driessche - 0032 9 264 44 33 - isabel.vandriessche@ugent.be
- Nanostructured SrTiO3 as high efficiency thermoelectric ceramic: synthesis of nanostructured SrTiO3 via a templating approach. Influence of morphology, dimensions and orientations of the nanostructures on the thermoelectric properties are investigated.
Contact information : Prof. Dr. Klaartje De Buysser - 0032 9 264 44 41 - klaartje.debuysser@ugent.be
- Ink-jet printed Al:ZnO for transparent conductors: development of suited precursor for low temperature synthesize of Al:ZnO (sol-gel) and subsequent ink-jet printing to skip further etching steps. The influence of the precursor on the final properties of the transparent conductive materials is studied.
Contact information : Prof. Dr. Klaartje De Buysser - 0032 9 264 44 41 - klaartje.debuysser@ugent.be
Exceptional facilities :
Ink-jet printer (single and multi-nozzle set-up), CEM discover microwave, Zetisizer ZS Nano, TEM, SEM, XRD, XRF, contact angle set-up, dipcoater, TGA-DTA, tube and muffle furnaces.
Financial support programmes :
- European funding: EUROTAPES
- Regional fundings: GOA, Umisol, IWT, FWO, BOF