Associate Professor of Materials & Metallurgical Engineering

 

Paul A. Fuierer

 


Contents

Work Information

Hot List

Contact Information

Research Projects

Lab Facilities

Courses

Biographical Information

Publications

Graduate Students & Theses

Service

Soccer

Personal Interests

Work Information

Job title:  Associate Professor of Materials & Metallurgical Engineering

Department:    Materials & Metallurgical Engineering

Specialty Areas:     Functional Ceramics (Electronic, Magnetic, Optical), Thin Films (Sol-Gel)

Key responsibilities:

    • Teaching:       Materials engineering courses, undergraduate and graduate level (see course list below)
    • Advising:        undergraduate and graduate students
    • Research:      see projects and publications below
    • Service:          Professional & Institutional

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Hot List

New Mexico Tech

Mate 301:

History of Ceramics

Common Ceramic Structures

Silicate Structures

Mate 101L:

Materials Mini Course Posters

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Contact Information

Mailing address:       Materials Engineering Dept., New Mexico Tech, Socorro NM 87801

Office phone:             (505) 835-5497

Office fax:                   (505) 835-5626

E-mail address:         fuierer@nmt.edu

Web address:            http://www.nmt.edu/~fuierer/homepage.html

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Research Projects

(If you are looking to pursue an advanced degree (MS or PhD) in materials science & engineering, and any of the topics below are of interest, please contact me and/or the New Mexico Tech Graduate Office) 

New Ion Conducting Ceramics for Fuel Cell and Gas Sensor Electrolytes

Research is underway to investigate alternative oxygen ion conducting ceramics for medium temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).  The bidimensional conductivity in some of these compounds requires novel ceramic processing techniques to achieve the necessary texture in planar thick films.

Nanocrystalline Ceramics for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells             

My group has developed a sol-gel process to make nanocrystalline anatase

at very low temperatures, with the potential for building flexible solar cells

on polymer substrates.  Challenges remain, including the connectivity of

the TiO2 particles.  New approaches are being explored.

 

 

Metalorganic molecular structure as a template for anisotropic thin film ceramics

Research has been conducted to investigate the effects of the molecular structure of oligomers, derived from metalorganic precursors, on the ultimate crystallographic structure and orientation of ceramic films upon heat treatment. Specific bonding arrangements within a polymeric precursor molecule can mimic that of a crystalline material and thus serve as a template, when spun onto a surface, to produce highly oriented ceramic thin films. Bismuth titanate Bi4Ti3O12 was used as the model ceramic material, due to its intrinsic structural anisotropy and its useful ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. Growth of macromolecules, during solution aging, with a bias toward Ti-O-Ti bonding is responsible for the high degree of c-axis orientation that we have obtained in Bi4Ti3O12 films. Crystallographically oriented films of other low symmetry materials often display superior electronic, optical, magnetic and even mechanical properties. Control of orientation in such materials using chemical/solution methods, without relying on epitaxial growth, may represent a significant cost savings.  Experimental techniques include oligomer size measurements by light scattering, 17O NMR, ellipsometry, dielectric measurements, and XRD. 

 

Layered perovskites as interphases in high temperature ceramic composites          

The use of a functional interface to weaken the fiber-matrix bond in oxide/oxide composites may enhance fiber-pullout and therefore toughness. This approach may lead to new composite materials with improved high temperature toughness and stability for aerospace and other demanding applications. Layered perovskite compounds offer interesting characteristics for this application including easy cleavage planes, and resistance to high temperature and oxidizing environments. Research has been done to identify the most useful perovskite layer oxides compounds, produce multi-layered ceramic composites, and study crack-propagation paths near the interfaces.

 

 

 

Modeling of depolarization in ferroelectric thin films

Ferroelectric random access memory (FERRAM) involves the switching of a spontaneous electric polarization. This is an exciting new information storage technology with advantages including fast switching speeds, non-volatility, and radiation hardness. However, FERRAM also exhibits important reliability issues such as fatigue, lack of retention and thermal imprint which involve a depolarization process with repeated cycling, time, and temperature respectively. The objectives of this research were to characterize the polarization switching properties of sol-gel derived Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films, to identify the driving forces responsible for these depolarization effects, and to develop a mathematical model to predict depolarization behavior in ferroelectric thin films.

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Lab Facilities

Materials Processing:          Bulk Ceramic Processing; (calcining, milling, pressing, sintering), Bench Top Spray Dryer (Buchi, Inc.),

Hot Forging

                                                Thick Film; tape casting, screen printing

Thin Film; Sol-gel (chemical) processing

            Materials Characterization:  X-ray Diffraction (Siemens D5000), powder, thin film

Field Emission SEM (Hitachi), EDS, EBSD with OIM

Atomic Force Microscope (Digital Instruments, Nanoscope IIIa/Multimode)

Light Scattering (Brookhaven Instr.)

            Materials Property:               Electrical Testing

                                                            Impedance Analysis & Spectroscopy (Hewlitt-Packard)

                                                            Ferroelectric Testing (Radiant Technologies)

                                                            Photo Voltaic Measurements (Sciencetech, Inc. Solar Simulator)

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Courses

Mate 101L      Intro. Materials Eng. Lab           1 cr.     Hands-on lab experience for freshmen demonstrating fundamental materials concepts

Mate 108        Materials Eng. Mini Course        1 cr.     1 week summer course for high school students with lots of fun experiments

                                                                                    * Inquire at the New Mexico Tech Admissions Department

Mate 235        Materials Engineering                3 cr.     ceramics, glasses, semiconductors, polymers & composites         

Mate 235L      Materials Engineering Lab         1 cr.     synthesis and properties of non-metallic solids

Mate 301        Intro. to Ceramic Engineering     3 cr.     Traditional and advanced ceramics; structure and processing

Mate 443        Magnetic Materials                    3 cr.     theory, composition, structure, properties & applications

Mate 447        Optical Materials                       3 cr.     Optical phenomena, material properties & applications

Mate 452        Physics of Metals & Ceramics   3 cr.     solid state physics for engineers             

Mate 452L      Electronic Materials Laboratory 1 cr.     electronic properties measurement                     

Mate 503        Crystal Chem & Crystal Physics3 cr.     crystal structures & tensor properties

Mate 504        Nonlinear Dielectric Ceramics    3 cr.     survey of ferroelectric ceramics and their applications

Mate 505        Electronic Materials                   3 cr.     metal electrodes, ionic conductors, superconductors, insulators; structures, properties & applications      

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Biographical Information 

Professional Experience:

Associate Professor, Materials Engineering Dept., New Mexico Tech, 1997-

Assistant Professor, Materials Engineering Dept., New Mexico Tech, 1992-1997

Research Associate, Materials Research Laboratory, Pennsylvania State University, 1992

Graduate Assistant/Kodak Fellow, Materials Research Lab, Pennsylvania State University, 1987-1991

Engineer, Stackpole Carbon Co., Electronics Division, 1984-1986

Education:                 

1991    Ph.D. Solid State Science, Pennsylvania State University          

1984    B.S. Ceramic Engineering, Alfred University                                                                 

1983    Ceramic Science, University of Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany

Associations: 

American Ceramic Society

Materials Research Society

American Society of Materials

Sigma Xi (the Scientific Research Society)

Honors & Awards:    

KERAMOS Ceramic Honor Society

Eastman Kodak Co. Ph.D. Fellowship, 1987-91

New Mexico Tech Distinguished Teaching Award, 1997.

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Publications

Journal Articles

 

1.       A. Kulkarni, J. Dong, A. Bourandas, P.A. Fuierer, H. Xiao, A Nanocrystalline (Zr0.84Y0.16)O1.92-(Ce0.85Sm0.15)O1.925 Heterophase Thin Film and Its Electrical Conductivity. Solid State Ionics (submitted).

 

2.       J. Hochhalter, J. Massarello, A. Maji & P.Fuierer “The Origins of Fiber Print-Through in Lightweight Composite Optics,” SAMPE Journal (submitted).

 

1.       Ali Ceylan and Paul A. Fuierer, “Fracture toughness of alumina/lanthanum titanate laminate composites with a weak interface,” Materials Letters 61 551-555 (2007).  Online first doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2006.05.021.

 

2.       J. J. Massarello, J. D. Hochhalter, J. Welsh, A. K. Maji  and P. A. Fuierer, Fiber print-through mitigation technique for composite mirror replication, Optical Engineering, SPIE Journal 45 [12] 123401 (2006).

 

3.       Aniruddha Kulkarni, Alexander Bourandas, Junhang Dong, Paul Fuierer & Hai Xiao, “Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocrystalline (Zr0.84Y0.16)O1.92-(Ce0.85Sm0.15)O1.925 Heterophase Thin Films”, J. Mat. Res. 21 [2] 500-504 (2006).

 

4.      Margit J. Jensen and Paul A. Fuierer, “Low-temperature Preparation of Nanocrystalline Anatase Films Through a Sol-Gel Route”, J. of Sol-Gel Sci. & Tech. 39 229-233 (2006). online first DOI 10.1007/s10971-006-7837-5, URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10971-006-7837-5.

 

5.       T. Burleigh and P. Fuierer, "Tuning Forks for Vibrant Teaching," Journal of Metals, 57 [11] 26-27 (2005).

 

6.       Lee Benysek and Paul Fuierer, “Photoresist Modification of Sol-Gel Solutions for Texturing of Bi4Ti3O12 and Bi3TiNbO9 Thin Films”, J. of Sol-Gel Sci. & Tech. 34 241-250 (2005).

 

7.       Ali Ceylan and Paul A. Fuierer, “Lanthanum Titanate (La2Ti2O7) as an Interphase Material in Alumina (Al2O3) Based Composites”, Key Eng. Materials, 264 829-832 (2004).

 

8.       Mary Sandstrom and Paul Fuierer, “Sol-Gel Synthesis of Textured Lanthanum Titanate Thin Films”, J. Mat. Res. 18 [2] 357-362 (2003).

 

9.       Paul Fuierer, Bo Li and Hyun Sik Jeon, “Characterization of Particle Size and Shape in an Ageing Bismuth Titanate Sol Using Dynamic and Static Light Scattering”, J. of Sol-Gel Sci. & Tech. 27 (2003).

 

10.   Paul Fuierer and Bo Li, " Non-Epitaxial Orientation in Sol-Gel Bismuth Titanate Films", J. Amer. Ceram. Soc. 85 [2] (2002).

 

11.   Shan Sun, Ping Lu, and Paul Fuierer, "Oriented Bismuth Titanate Thin Films by Single-Solid-Source Metal-Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition", Journal of Crystal Growth , 205 177-184 (1999).

 

12.   Shan Sun, Yong-mei Wang, Paul Fuierer, and Bruce Tuttle, “Annealing Effects on the Internal Bias Field in Ferroelectric PZT Thin Films”, Integrated Ferroelectrics, 23 [1] (1999).

 

13.   Shan Sun and Paul Fuierer, “Modeling of Depolarization in Ferroelectric Thin Films”, Integrated Ferroelectrics, 23 [1] (1999).

 

14.   R. Turner, P. Fuierer, T. Shrout and R. Newnham, "Materials for High Temperature Acoustic and Vibration Sensors:  A Review," Applied Acoustics 41 299-324 (1994).

 

15.   L. Liu, S. Sun and P.A. Fuierer, "Improvement of Fatigue Resistance in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 Type Ceramics by Composition Modification", Ferroelectrics, 154 159-164 (1994).

 

16.   S. Sun, P. Fuierer and B.A. Tuttle, "Depolarization and Hysteresis Loop Asymetry in PZT Thin Films With Self-Polarization", Ferroelectrics 152 187-193 (1994).

 

17.   W. Pan, S. Sun and P.A. Fuierer, "Effects of Ferroelectric Switching on Ferroelectric Properties in Lead Zirconate Titanate Ferroelectric Ceramics and Their Modeling," J. Appl. Phys. 74 [2] 1256 (1993)

 

18.   P.A. Fuierer and R.E. Newnham,"La2Ti2O7 Ceramics",  J. Amer. Ceram . Soc. 74 [11] 2876 (1991).

 

19.   S. E. Trolier, S. D. Atkinson, P.A. Fuierer, J.H. Adair, R.E. Newnham, Am. Ceram. Soc. Bull., 67 [4] 759-62 (1988).

 

 

Proceedings

 

  1. Jack J. Massarello, Jake D. Hochhalter, Paul A. Fuierer, Arup K. Maji, “Composite mirror replication: curing, coating and polishing,” Proc. SPIE Vol. 5868, Optical Materials and Structures Technologies II; William A. Goodman; Ed. (2005).

 

  1. A.Kulkarni, A. Bourandas, H. Xiao, J. Dong and P. Fuierer, “Nanocrystalline YSZ-SDC Heterophase Thin Films for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and High Temperature Optical Gas Sensors”, Proc. PACIFICHEM, Honolulu, HI (Dec. 2005)

 

  1. A. Kulkarni, J. Dong, P. Fuierer, and S. Speakman, “Synthesis of Nanocrystalline YSZ-SDC Heterophase Thin Film and Studies on its Electrical Properties and Structural Stability, Proc. 8th International Conf. Inorg. Membranes, pp. 46-49, Cincinnati, OH, July 18-22, (2004).

 

  1. P. Fuierer, S. Sun and L. Liu, “Oriented Bismuth Titanate Sol-Gel Films for NDRO Ferroelectric Memories,” in Sol- Gel Science & Technology, Ceramic Transactions Vol 55, eds. E. Pope, S. Saka & L.C. Klein, pp. 199-206, American Ceramic Society (1995).

 

  1. T. Nichtawitz and P. Fuierer, “Electric Field Assisted Hot-Forging of Bimuth Titanate”, Proc. 9th International Symposium on Applications of Ferroelectrics, pp. 126-129, Ed. R.K. Pandey, M. Liu, A. Safari, IEEE (1994).

 

  1. R.C. Turner, P.A. Fuierer and T.R. Shrout, “Design and Materials Considerations in the Development of High Temperature Microphones”, Proc. of the 2nd International High Temperature Electronics Conference, III pp. 23-28, Eds. D.B. King & F.V. Thome, IEEE (1994).

 

  1. P.A. Fuierer, T.R. Shrout and R.E. Newnham, "Physical, Electrical and Piezoelectric Properties of Hot-forged Sr2(NbTa)2O7 Ceramics," in Smart Materials Fabrication and Materials for Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems, MRS Symposium Proceedings 276 51 (1992).

 

  1. P.A. Fuierer and R.E. Newnham, “High Temperature Ferroelectric Ceramics”, Proc. 7th International Symposium on Applications of Ferroelectrics (1990).

 

  1. P.A. Fuierer, T.T. Srinivasan and R.E. Newnham, “Synthesis of Y-Ba-Cu-O Powders via the Evaporative Decomposition of Solutions”, in Ceramic Superconductors II;  Ed. M.F. Yan, American Ceramic Society (1988).

 

  1. P.A. Fuierer, T.T. Srinivasan and R.E. Newnham, “Electrical, Magnetic & Physical Properties of YBa2Cu3O7-x Superconductor-Polymer Composites”, in Ceramic Superconductors II;  Ed. M.F. Yan, American Ceramic Society (1988).

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Graduate Students & Theses

Annahruda Kulkarni      “Synthesis and characterization of heterophase nanocrystalline thin film electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cell” MS      2005   

Margit Jensen               “Low temperature synthesis of nanocrystalline anatase films for use in dye-sensitized solar cells”                         MS      2005

Jack Massarello            “Molding Materials and Processes for the Attenuation of Fiber Print-through in Lightweight Composite Optics” MS       2005

Lee Benysek                 “Textured Bismuth titanate Thin Films by Photoresist Modified Sol-Gel Solutions”                                                 MS       2003

Mary Sandstrom            “Chemical Control of Texturing in Perovskite Sol-Gel Films"                                                                                MS       2001

Karen Cross                 “Multifunctional Layered Bismuth Titanate/Alumina Composites”                                                                         MS       2000

Charles Mandeville        “Reactive-ion evaporation of silica thin films”                                                                                                     MS       2000

Jenny Plakio                  “The polarizability of ions in glasses”                                                                                                                  MS       2000

Bo Li                            “Light scattering studies of metallo-oligomers and the effect on bismuth titanium sol-gel thin films”                         MS       2000

Ali Ceylan                     “Lanthanum titanate (La2Ti2O7) as an interphase materials in alumina based composites”                                      MS       1999

Shan Sun                      “Ferroelectric thin films: An investigation of self polarization in PZT  Chemical deposition of bismuth titanate”            PhD     1997

Ling Liu                        “Ferroelectric Fatigue:  An investigation of Pb(ZrTi)O3, Pb(SnZrTi)O3, PbZrO3-BiFeO3, & Bi4Ti3O12                         MS       1995

Qing-Ming Wang           “Grain boundary engineering, composition and processing modification of NiZn ferrites for EMI filter applications”     MS       1994

Shan Sun                      “Ferroelectric switching behavior and improvement of fatigue resistance in PZT-based ceramics”                          MS       1993

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Professional Service

Reviewer for professional journals including:

  • Journal of the American Ceramic Society
  • Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology
·        Journal of Materials Research
·        Journal of Electroceramics
  • Materials Science & Engineering A
  • Journal of Applied Physics
  • Crystal Growth and Design

Departmental Service

·        Student Recruiting (see Consulting Scientist Program)

·        Chair of Microscopy Committee

·        Scanning Probe Microscope Training

Institutional Service

Served as member of Several Committees over the years:

·        Faculty Tenure

·        Member, Strategic Planning (2005-06)

·        Discipline

·        ADA

·        Academic Freedom & Tenure

·        Assessment

·        Student Retention

Faculty advisor and Coach, NMT Miners Men’s Soccer Team                         

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Personal Interests

Family:                        Wife Hannelore & 5 kids

Sports:                        soccer

Windsurfing                                                   

Skiing

weight training

new! triathalon

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Last Revised: Sept. 10, 2007