Substitution and Sustainability in Functional Materials and Devices
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Materials Science and Engineering
Abstract
Functional Materials and Devices (FMD) is a rapidly evolving subject which underpins many aspects of modern life such as antennas, energy storage devices, multicomponent sensors and smart materials. At a segment size of ~£3Bn p.a., the UK represents ~25% of the total EU production. However, the FMD sector in the EU and UK relies heavily on raw materials which have geopolitical, geological and environmental constraints. The response to materials scarcity and environmental restrictions depends on the industry, but companies indicate that resource efficiency, R&D, and innovations for substitution are necessary. Our vision is to utilise materials engineering, multiscale modeling, advanced manufacturing, supply chain/life cycle analysis and industrial partnerships to establish an holistic response to substitution and sustainability within the UK FMD sector.
6 mission-critical projects have been identified by the investigators which will be the initial focus of the programme. Follow on projects will be developed during the grant in collaboration with an expanding portfolio of industrial partners.
i) Elimination of expensive RE-oxides from the fabrication of multilayer ceramics capacitors (MLCC):
Currently, the lifetime of an MLCC is enhanced by the use of ~2wt% of RE-oxide (RE = Dy, Ho). Dy is the number one most endangered element according to the US government. Eradicating Dy and Ho from the fabrication MLCC is thus an urgent priority
ii) RE substitution in magnetocalorics for energy efficient refrigeration:
Dy is also a critical element in magnetocalorics for energy efficient refrigeration. RE-free strategies to enhance the giant magnetocaloric effect will be explored so that this highly efficiently refrigeration technology can be made commercial.
iii) Replacement of RE based oxides in dielectrically loaded satellite receive antennas:
Ultra small GPS microstrip patch antennas utilize ceramics based on barium RE titanates (BRET, RE = Nd and Sm) since these are the only currently available high permittivity (80-90) materials with the required properties. We will explore new multilayer antenna designs on RE free, low cost dielectric substrates such as BaTi4O9.
iv) Manufacture of actuators using PbO-free piezoelectric oxides:
Environmentally friendly, PbO-free piezoelectrics) have been developed over the last decade as potential replacements for Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT). Device fabrication and characterization will be studied along with an investigation of critical issues concerning direct integration into end-user applications.
v) Replacing exotic compounds with robust oxide ceramics in thermoelectric generators
Currently, the best thermoelectric materials (Figure of Merit, ZT > 1) for waste heat harvesting are based on tellurides, antimonides and germanides. Not only are these compounds toxic and in short supply but they are also unstable at the proposed operating temperatures. Thermoelectric generators based on equally performant, more abundant and less toxic oxide materials will be developed
vi) Manufacturing routes to sustainability in light emitting diodes (LEDs)
Energy efficient LEDs have the capacity to replace completely conventional W based filament light sources but scaling up this technology results in critical thermal management problems which are alleviated by conductive Ag paste, too expensive to meet the envisaged market. New strategies to dissipate heat will therefore be explored so that W based high powered lighting can be replaced by LED energy efficient equivalents.
All projects will be make use of multiscale modelling in device design, materials development and understanding physical properties. In addition, a Supply Chain Environmental Analysis Tool (SCEnAT) will be utilized on all projects. SCEnAT is coded based on the state-of-the-art methodology in carbon and has been used by leading industry such as TATA, Rolls-Royce and Sheffield Forgemasters International.
6 mission-critical projects have been identified by the investigators which will be the initial focus of the programme. Follow on projects will be developed during the grant in collaboration with an expanding portfolio of industrial partners.
i) Elimination of expensive RE-oxides from the fabrication of multilayer ceramics capacitors (MLCC):
Currently, the lifetime of an MLCC is enhanced by the use of ~2wt% of RE-oxide (RE = Dy, Ho). Dy is the number one most endangered element according to the US government. Eradicating Dy and Ho from the fabrication MLCC is thus an urgent priority
ii) RE substitution in magnetocalorics for energy efficient refrigeration:
Dy is also a critical element in magnetocalorics for energy efficient refrigeration. RE-free strategies to enhance the giant magnetocaloric effect will be explored so that this highly efficiently refrigeration technology can be made commercial.
iii) Replacement of RE based oxides in dielectrically loaded satellite receive antennas:
Ultra small GPS microstrip patch antennas utilize ceramics based on barium RE titanates (BRET, RE = Nd and Sm) since these are the only currently available high permittivity (80-90) materials with the required properties. We will explore new multilayer antenna designs on RE free, low cost dielectric substrates such as BaTi4O9.
iv) Manufacture of actuators using PbO-free piezoelectric oxides:
Environmentally friendly, PbO-free piezoelectrics) have been developed over the last decade as potential replacements for Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT). Device fabrication and characterization will be studied along with an investigation of critical issues concerning direct integration into end-user applications.
v) Replacing exotic compounds with robust oxide ceramics in thermoelectric generators
Currently, the best thermoelectric materials (Figure of Merit, ZT > 1) for waste heat harvesting are based on tellurides, antimonides and germanides. Not only are these compounds toxic and in short supply but they are also unstable at the proposed operating temperatures. Thermoelectric generators based on equally performant, more abundant and less toxic oxide materials will be developed
vi) Manufacturing routes to sustainability in light emitting diodes (LEDs)
Energy efficient LEDs have the capacity to replace completely conventional W based filament light sources but scaling up this technology results in critical thermal management problems which are alleviated by conductive Ag paste, too expensive to meet the envisaged market. New strategies to dissipate heat will therefore be explored so that W based high powered lighting can be replaced by LED energy efficient equivalents.
All projects will be make use of multiscale modelling in device design, materials development and understanding physical properties. In addition, a Supply Chain Environmental Analysis Tool (SCEnAT) will be utilized on all projects. SCEnAT is coded based on the state-of-the-art methodology in carbon and has been used by leading industry such as TATA, Rolls-Royce and Sheffield Forgemasters International.
Planned Impact
People: PDRAs will be involved in a multidisciplinary team spanning experts in materials engineering, functional device architecture & manufacture, and supply chain modelling. They will benefit from the involvement of a number of industries, exposing them to work practices and time-scales outside of academia. These partnerships will lower the barriers to future collaboration and provide an invaluable source of contacts for the researchers, allowing them to make informed decisions about their future careers. The impact on younger, recently appointed staff will be to enhance their management experience and help create a track record in large collaborative research grants, thereby creating opportunities for additional research funding from national or transnational bodies. PDRAs will become skilled advocates for UK science and technology by engendering the skills to act as future research leaders who will facilitate the next generation of British scientific endeavour.
Knowledge: The senior management team will benefit from closer collaboration with industry and colleagues in adjacent departments, facilitating cross-disciplinary research initiatives and resulting in research going in hitherto unknown directions. The inclusion of modelling (lifecycle, atomistic and finite element) will itself be an important method of interdisciplinary integration of the different technical work packages , allowing dialogue across disciplines and cementing the working relationship across three departments. Postgraduates and staff will gain a better understanding of developments in the field, thus, we will have a direct impact on undergraduate teaching within UoS. The different challenges identified by the research programme will be an opportunity to share both internally and externally new developments and best practice and will introduce non-affiliated scientists to the work of group.
Economy & Society: Industrial partners will benefit from access to facilities and expertise they lack internally, and the involvement of leading UK research groups will give them insight into emerging trends and scientific developments internationally. The aim is to develop new products or processes of commercial value, leading to increased revenue and profits. The process of collaboration de-risks the innovation process, thereby attracting private investment and advancing basic research up Technology Readiness Levels, whilst the knowledge accumulated during and after the funding period will ensure innovation and a strong impact on industrial sectors utilising FMDs. The specific needs of industrial partners will help focus the efforts of the research in an industrially relevant direction, paving the way for future materials research and stronger bonds between research institutions and industry. The use of Life Cycle Analysis and Supply Chain Modelling will give assurance that alternative materials and processing routes offer an environmentally and commercially sustainable route to manufacture, thereby increasing the likelihood of up-scaling and commercialisation.
Our research may impact: i) the electronics sector by funding substitutes for Rare Earths used in Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors; ii) industries such as the automotive sector that would benefit from waste heat reuse via from thermoelectric materials that are less costly and have a greater operational temperature range than existing materials; iii) sustainability of raw materials by eradicating the use of toxic elements (Se, Te ,Pb) and rare earths in functional materials; iv) expanding the 'internet of things' by creating smaller and more performant antennas; v) the environment by improving and simplifying manufacturing, reducing wastage and environmental concerns (e.g. additive manufacturing of FMD) and vi) Commercialisation of A+++ magnetic cooling domestic fridges, by reducing the RE content by >95%, thus reducing the overall manufacturing costs.
Knowledge: The senior management team will benefit from closer collaboration with industry and colleagues in adjacent departments, facilitating cross-disciplinary research initiatives and resulting in research going in hitherto unknown directions. The inclusion of modelling (lifecycle, atomistic and finite element) will itself be an important method of interdisciplinary integration of the different technical work packages , allowing dialogue across disciplines and cementing the working relationship across three departments. Postgraduates and staff will gain a better understanding of developments in the field, thus, we will have a direct impact on undergraduate teaching within UoS. The different challenges identified by the research programme will be an opportunity to share both internally and externally new developments and best practice and will introduce non-affiliated scientists to the work of group.
Economy & Society: Industrial partners will benefit from access to facilities and expertise they lack internally, and the involvement of leading UK research groups will give them insight into emerging trends and scientific developments internationally. The aim is to develop new products or processes of commercial value, leading to increased revenue and profits. The process of collaboration de-risks the innovation process, thereby attracting private investment and advancing basic research up Technology Readiness Levels, whilst the knowledge accumulated during and after the funding period will ensure innovation and a strong impact on industrial sectors utilising FMDs. The specific needs of industrial partners will help focus the efforts of the research in an industrially relevant direction, paving the way for future materials research and stronger bonds between research institutions and industry. The use of Life Cycle Analysis and Supply Chain Modelling will give assurance that alternative materials and processing routes offer an environmentally and commercially sustainable route to manufacture, thereby increasing the likelihood of up-scaling and commercialisation.
Our research may impact: i) the electronics sector by funding substitutes for Rare Earths used in Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors; ii) industries such as the automotive sector that would benefit from waste heat reuse via from thermoelectric materials that are less costly and have a greater operational temperature range than existing materials; iii) sustainability of raw materials by eradicating the use of toxic elements (Se, Te ,Pb) and rare earths in functional materials; iv) expanding the 'internet of things' by creating smaller and more performant antennas; v) the environment by improving and simplifying manufacturing, reducing wastage and environmental concerns (e.g. additive manufacturing of FMD) and vi) Commercialisation of A+++ magnetic cooling domestic fridges, by reducing the RE content by >95%, thus reducing the overall manufacturing costs.
Organisations
- University of Sheffield (Lead Research Organisation)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- University of Warwick (Collaboration)
- Center for Dielectrics & Piezoelectrics (Collaboration)
- Messrs Avx/kyocera (Project Partner)
- European Thermodynamics (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Cambridge Nanotherm (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Camfridge (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Tata Group UK (Project Partner)
- Johnson Matthey (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Morgan Advanced Materials (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
Publications
Li W
(2018)
BaTiO 3 -Bi(Li 0.5 Ta 0.5 )O 3 , Lead-Free Ceramics, and Multilayers with High Energy Storage Density and Efficiency
in ACS Applied Energy Materials
Wang D
(2018)
High Energy Storage Density and Large Strain in Bi(Zn 2/3 Nb 1/3 )O 3 -Doped BiFeO 3 -BaTiO 3 Ceramics
in ACS Applied Energy Materials
Li L
(2023)
Aqueous Cold Sintering of Li-Based Compounds.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Yang H
(2020)
Novel BaTiO3-Based, Ag/Pd-Compatible Lead-Free Relaxors with Superior Energy Storage Performance.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Wu F
(2023)
Correction to "Design and Fabrication of a C-Band Dielectric Resonator Antenna with Novel Temperature-Stable Ce(Nb1-xVx)O4 (x = 0-0.4) Microwave Ceramics".
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Wu F
(2022)
Design and Fabrication of a C-Band Dielectric Resonator Antenna with Novel Temperature-Stable Ce(Nb 1- x V x )NbO 4 ( x = 0-0.4) Microwave Ceramics
in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Wang D
(2018)
Cold-Sintered Temperature Stable Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 MoO 4 -Li 2 MoO 4 Microwave Composite Ceramics
in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
Zhou D
(2018)
High Quality Factor, Ultralow Sintering Temperature Li 6 B 4 O 9 Microwave Dielectric Ceramics with Ultralow Density for Antenna Substrates
in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
Description | New methodology of fabricating perovskite inorganic/organic hybrid materials for solar cells, has led to two KTPs with GreatCell Solar (formerly Dyesol) New formulation for high ZT oxide based thermoelectrics Two new PbO-free piezoelectrics have been developed. One has been patented through Johnson Matthey with Khesro and Reaney as the inventors. A reliable multilayer process for capacitors and piezoelectrics has been established Temperature RE-free BaTiO3 compositions have been developed in collaboration with AVX ltd which along with modelling activity has led to a KTP with AVX FEM code along with optimisation software has been written to speed up the development of temperature stable capacitors New understanding of the role of RE dopants in enhancing the lifetime of BaTiO3 capacitors has been devised A new crystallochemical framework to explain the behaviour of tetragonal tungsten bronzes has been established Ultra low temperature (cold) ceramic sintering technology has been established in the FMD, has led to a 3rd KTP application with GreatCell solar and to two PhD projects sponsored by Johnson Matthey Published in EES world record energy density for ceramic capacitor Fabricated a C0G multilayer capacitor using cold sintering |
Exploitation Route | Knowledge Transfer Partnerships have been obtained to promote technology transfer. 3 KTPS awarded (2 x GreatCell solar, 1 x AVX). A third has been submitted with GreatCell solar on cold sintering. Innovate UK grant applied for, led by Johnson Matthey, on new environmentally sustainable internal electrodes for capacitors. One patent has been awarded for a PbO-free piezoelectric ceramic ICASE underway on perovskite structured solar cells with GreatCell Solar ICASE with Johnson Matthey Strategic partnership wit Johnson Matthey Innovate UK seed grant with Johnson Matthey on solid state batteries. UoS are now partners in the Centre for Piezoelectrics and Dielectrics, hosting th ebiannual conference in Sheffield FPET grant with EPSRC to fabricate piezoelectric power transformers. |
Sectors | Electronics Energy Environment |
URL | http://fmd-shef.blogspot.com/ |
Description | There were a number of findings and research strands that materialised during the grant: cold sintering of ceramics was introduced in the grant cycle which has led to collaborations with a number of companies including Johnson Matthey and Morgan Advanced Ceramic, ultimately to securing part of the funding for the Economiser programme which focusses on low energy technologies for the foundation industries. Further work on general sustainability in the ceramics industry has resulted in two grants being awarded. The first was the Transforming Foundation Industries Network Plus whose remit is to encourage interaction between academics and industry which has led to direct impact with start up companies such as Deakin Bio who fabricate sustainable decorative tiling and larger companies such as Pilkington in whom an AI decision support tool was embedded to improve production efficiency. A KTP to look at sustainable tile production in Johnson Tiles was also begun, following on from the work carried out in SUBST. |
First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
Sector | Electronics,Energy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Description | CASE Award |
Amount | £90,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Johnson Matthey |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | CaseLibs |
Amount | £500,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2019 |
End | 07/2020 |
Description | Cold Sintering of Composites and Solid Electrolytes (CSi CASE) |
Amount | £128,087 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 78980 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | Fuel Cells (Johnson Matthey) |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 09/2023 |
Description | HYBRID SINTERING FOR DECARBONISATION AND PRODUCTIVITY IN MANUFACTURING |
Amount | £255,736 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 47976 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2020 |
End | 08/2021 |
Description | KTP 10833 Greatcel |
Amount | £230,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | KTP 10833 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2017 |
End | 12/2020 |
Description | KTP 9683 Greatcell |
Amount | £220,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | KTP 9683 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2015 |
End | 01/2018 |
Description | Solid State Batteries (Johnson Matthey |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 09/2024 |
Description | Student top up |
Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Johnson Matthey |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 10/2019 |
Description | Thic film processing, contribution to IIKE funding |
Amount | £40,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Johnson Matthey |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2019 |
End | 04/2021 |
Description | Centre for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics (CDP |
Organisation | Center for Dielectrics & Piezoelectrics |
Country | United States |
Sector | Learned Society |
PI Contribution | Centre for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics (CDP). Sheffield has now been voted in as an Affiliate Partner in the NSF funded CDP alongside North Carolina State University (NCSU) and Pennsylvania State University (PSU. The CDP has ~25 members which include Samsung, Apple, Murata and 3M. The joint grant with PSU was instrumental in cement our relationship with the centre based on a number of high profile publications with the CDP co-director Susan Mckinstry (international CoI on grant) |
Collaborator Contribution | Susan McKinstry and Ian M. Reaney are now co-directors of the CDP. The publications helped demontrate to the Industrial Members the strength of the partnership between the CDP and Sheffield |
Impact | Multidisciplinary. Ceramic Engineering, Life Cycle Assessment, Materials Modelling. Has led to joint projects, research, secondments and industrial funding |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration with University College London |
Organisation | University College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have been working with UCL on sintering of functional oxides. We created a joint project for ~6 months which was funded through the MAPP hub seed project theme. Nanopowders were fabricated by UCL and densified at Sheffield |
Collaborator Contribution | UCL manufactured a range of nanopowders using their CHFS technique. Sheffield undertook to densify these powders |
Impact | The project led to further work at Sheffield though a CASE award with Inkson as lead co-funded by Johnson Matthey and to an Innovate UK Faraday seed project led by Johnson Matthey |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration with University of Warwick |
Organisation | University of Warwick |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The research area on the grant relating to life cycle assessment was highly successful and the PDRA, Taofeeq Ibn Mohammed, was appointed as a lecturer at the University of Warwick. Collaborations have continued since this appointment including joint publications and a grant submission (not awarded). Future collaborations are planned |
Collaborator Contribution | Taofeeq Ibn Mohammed (newly appointed lecturer at Warwick) contributed to the writing and submission of papers and also to a grant submission (not awarded) |
Impact | This is multidisciplinary collaboration between Materials Science and Life Cycle and Technoeconomic Assessment. Several paper have been published since Taofeeq Ibn Mohammed was appointed at Warwick. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Title | TEMPERATURE STABLE LEAD-FREE PIEZOELECTRIC/ELECTROSTRICTIVE MATERIALS WITH ENHANCED FATIGUE RESISTANCE |
Description | A lead-free piezoelectric and/or electrostrictive ceramic material having the general formula: (1-x) K0.5Bi0.5TiO3 - x[Bi(RE)Fe(Ti)O3]; wherein RE = non-radioactive rare earth elements as defined by IUPAC and wherein 0.01 < x < 0.25. |
IP Reference | WO2017203211 |
Protection | Patent granted |
Year Protection Granted | 2017 |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | This has led in part to establishing strong links with German piezoelectric companies. |
Description | Centre for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Talk on 5G ceramics at the NSF funded Centre for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics in front of 27 industrial member organisations |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Electronic Applications of Materials 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited to speak on 5G ceramics. S[arked debate with leading groups on the nature of the materials required for 5G applications |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Industrial Day Seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | An industry based workshop to encourage take up of our technology by industry. 2 KTPs resulted from continued interaction with industrialists at the meeting |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | International Symposium on Integrated Functionalities 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited presentation in symposium on tunable devices. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Organisation of Conference Sustainable Functional Materials 2016 (SFM2016) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | SFM2016 was the first in a conference series which will continue in May 2018 on Sustainable Functional Materials. SFM2016 was in collaboration with the University of Surrey (MASSIVE) and attracted 70 national and international delegates. In addition, we organise a discussion session with a local sixth form college |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | press release on sustainability in functional ceramics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Press release on latest research outputs from life cyle assessment |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/research-news/green-piezo-replacement-worse-environment-2016-... |
Description | symposium at Electronic Applications of Materials (EAM2018) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Organised a symposium on 'Substitution and Sustainability' at a leading international conference |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |