Paul A. Fuierer
Professor
Department of Materials &
Metallurgical Engineering Dept
801 Leroy
Place
Socorro, NM
87801
Office: 23 Jones Hall
Phone: (575) 835-5497
Fax: (575) 835-5626
Email: Fuierer@nmt.edu
Research Areas:
Electro-ceramics (electronic, magnetic, optical),
Thin films (sol-gel),
Functional
materials for renewable & distributed energy
Biographical Information
Research
Selected Publications
Teaching
Graduate Students & Theses
Outreach
Other Interests

Biographical Information
Education:
Ph.D.
Solid State
Science, Pennsylvania
State University
(1991)
B.S. Ceramic Engineering, Alfred University
(1984)
Ceramic Science, University of Clausthal-Zellerfeld (1983)
Professional Experience:
Professor, Materials
Engineering Dept., New Mexico
Tech, 2011-
Associate Professor, Materials
Engineering Dept., New Mexico
Tech, 1997- 2010
Assistant Professor,
Materials Engineering Dept., New
Mexico Tech, 1992-1997
Research Associate,
Materials Research Laboratory, Pennsylvania
State University,
1992
Graduate Assistant/Fellow,
Materials Research Lab, Pennsylvania State University, 1987-1991
Engineer, Stackpole Carbon Co., Electronics Division, 1984-1986
Honors & Awards:
KERAMOS Ceramic Honor Society
Eastman Kodak Co. Ph.D. Fellowship,
1987-91
New Mexico Tech Distinguished Teaching Award,
1997
National
Science Foundation's Faculty Early CAREER Award for research & teaching,
1997-2002
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) Visiting Faculty Research Award,
2007
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Research
(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 novel
hierarchical TiO2 thick film microstructures,
including sol-gel nano-crystalline anatase and
micro-scale rutile particles,
with potential for increasing solar
cell efficiencies and economizing processing.
New approaches are being explored.

Textured Bulk and Thin Film Ceramics
We have a unique expertise in fabricating certain polycrystalline ceramics
with very high crystallographic orientation (texture). Techniques involve
hot-forging and superplastic deformation (bulk),
tape-casting (thick film) and novel sol-gel (thin film). Crystallographically
oriented films of low symmetry materials often display superior electronic,
optical, magnetic and even mechanical properties. Bismuth titanate,
Bi4Ti3O12, has been used as a model ceramic
material due to its intrinsic structural anisotropy and its useful
ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties, but we have fabricated many others
as well (particularly ceramics with a layered perovskite
type structure). Several of these dense and highly textured materials have
recently displayed some of the very lowest thermal conductivity values of any
known ceramic.



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.
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Selected Publications
- Paul Fuierer, Russell
Maier, Ulla Roder-Roith and Ralf Moos, “Processing
Issues Related to the Bi-dimensional Ionic Conductivity of BIMEVOX
Ceramics,” J. Mater. Sci. 46 [16] 5447-5453 (2011).
- Taylor Sparks, Paul A. Fuierer and David R.
Clarke, Anisotropic Thermal Diffusivity and Conductivity of La-Doped
Strontium Niobate Sr2Nb2O7”,
J. Amer. Ceram.
Soc., 93 [4] 1136-1141 (2010). DOI: 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2009.03533.x
- Banasri Roy and Paul A. Fuierer, “Influence of
Sodium Chloride and Dibasic Sodium Phosphate Salt Systems on the Anatase-Rutile Phase Transformation and Particle Size
of Titanium Dioxide Powder”, J.
Amer. Ceram. Soc., 93 [2] 436-444 (2010). DOI: 10.1111/j.15512916.2009.034
- Banasri Roy and Paul A. Fuierer, “Synthesis of
cobalt-doped bismuth vanadate by
combustion-synthesis: Influence of
fuel on phase content and morphology,” J.
Mate. Research 24
[10] (2009). DOI:
10.1557/JMR.2009.0392
- Banasri Roy and Paul A. Fuierer, “Molten Salt
Synthesis of Bi4(V0.85Co0.15)2O11-d (BICOVOX) Ceramic Powders”, J. Amer. Ceram. Soc., 92 [2] 520-523 (2009). DOI:
10.1111/j.1551-2916.2008.02872.x
- Yang Shen, David R. Clarke, and Paul A.
Fuierer, “Anisotropic thermal conductivity of the Aurivillus
phase, bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12):
A natural nanostructured superlattice”,
Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 102907 (2008). DOI: 10.1063/1.2975163. http://link.aip.org/link/?APPLAB/93/102907/1
- Banasri Roy, Scott P. Ahrenkiel, Paul Anton Fuierer, “Controlling the Size
and Morphology of TiO2 Powder by Molten and Solid Salt
Synthesis”, J. Amer. Ceram.
Soc., 91, [8] 2455-2463
(2008). DOI: 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2008.02456.x. available
online at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120119603/abstract
- 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).
- 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).
- 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.
- T. Burleigh and P.
Fuierer, "Tuning Forks for Vibrant Teaching," Journal of
Metals, 57 [11] 26-27 (2005).
- 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).
- 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).
- Mary
Sandstrom and Paul Fuierer, “Sol-Gel Synthesis of
Textured Lanthanum Titanate Thin Films”, J. Mat.
Res. 18 [2] 357-362 (2003).
- 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).
- Paul Fuierer and Bo Li,
" Non-Epitaxial Orientation in Sol-Gel
Bismuth Titanate Films", J. Amer. Ceram.
Soc. 85 [2] (2002).
- 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).
- Shan Sun and Paul
Fuierer, “Modeling of Depolarization in Ferroelectric Thin Films”, Integrated Ferroelectrics, 23 [1] (1999).
- 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).
- 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).
- 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).
- 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)
- 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).
- P.A. Fuierer and R.E.
Newnham,"La2Ti2O7 Ceramics", J. Amer. Ceram
. Soc. 74 [11] 2876 (1991).
- 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).
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Teaching
Mate 101L, Intro. Materials Eng. Lab (1 cr.), Hands-on lab
experience for freshmen demonstrating fundamental materials concepts
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 Physics (3 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
Current Courses
Mate 301: History of Ceramics, Crystal Chemistry, Common Binary
Structures, Complex Structures,
Silicate
Structures
Mate 101L: Intro Materials Eng. Lab Posters
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Graduate Students & Theses
Idil Ayan, “Hydrothermal Mesoporous
Coatings on Glass Microspheres & Their use in DSSCs”, PhD
Meng Zhou, “Radiation Damage in Ruddleston-Popper and Pyrochlore
Structure Ceramics”, PhD
Janelle Villone, “Luminescent Properties of GaN films for Ion-Photon Emission Microscopy”, PhD
Will Ricci, “Characteristics of TiO2
Coatings on Hollow Glass Microspheres & the
Effect on Photocatalytic Activity, MS (2011)
Stephanie Tornga, “Solution Combustion
Synthesis of Nanophosphors”, MS (2009)
Aneesha Varghese, “TiO2 Coated Hollow Glass Microspheres
by Spray Drying and Their Photocatalytic Activity”,
MS(2009)
Atta Gueye, “Novel TiO2 Thick Film
Microstructures for Use in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells”, MS (2008)
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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Outreach
New Mexico Tech
Consulting Scientist
Program

Institutional
Faculty advisor, NMT Miners Men’s Soccer Team



Other Interests
Family, home
building
windsurfing, skiing
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Last Revised: Sept.
2011