The J. Stefan Institute home page
is located at http://ijs.muzej.si/
Ceramics Department (K5)
e-mail addresses
The Ceramics Department at the Jozef Stefan Institute,
established in 1964, is a multidisciplinary advanced ceramics
research group. Its activities encompass:
The Department's 50 researchers, including a permanent research
staff, graduate students and visiting engineers/scientists, study
all aspects of powder synthesis, powder processing, and the
shaping and sintering of ceramics. Particular emphasis is given
to characterisation of ceramic products -- from structures to
functional properties. Being up to date with the latest
achievements and current trends in science and technology, it is
qualified to act as an intermediary between university scientists
and partners interested in practical applications.
- Ceramic powder synthesis: solid state reactions, sol-gel and
hydrothermal synthesis
- Powder processing: solid liquid interfaces, stability of
ceramic suspensions
- Ceramic processing: tape casting, low pressure injection
moulding, slip casting, pressing, HIP-ing
- Thin and thick film processing
- Sintering and microstructure design
- Microstructure-property relationships of functional and
structural ceramics
- Powder metallurgy for application in intermetallic magnet
processing
- Glass research
- Defect chemistry and crystal structure determination
- High temperature phase equilibria determination
Close collaboration exists with the Universities of Ljubljana and
Maribor. Two members of the Department
are full-time professors at the University while four members
of the group are part-time faculty members. An average of 13-15
postgraduate students perform research work at the Ceramics Department.
The Ceramics Department is deeply involved in several industrial
programmes. Cooperative companies in 1994 include Iskra Feriti
Ljubljana (production of ferrites), Iskra Varistor Ljubljana
(production of varistors), Iskra Magneti Ljubljana (production of
magnetic materials), KEKO "Zu"zemberk (production of ceramic
varistors and PTCR), Iskra Hipot "Sentjernej (production of hybrid
circuits), Iskra AET Tolmin (production of technical ceramics),
Fotona Ljubljana (production of electrooptical devices), Krka-
Novoterm (glass fibres), Termo "Skofja Loka (mineral fibres), and
the glass factories Steklarna Roga"ska Slatina, Steklarna
Hrastnik, Steklo Slovenska Bistrica and Steklarska sola (Glass
School) Roga"ska Slatina.
International Cooperation
Members of the Department cooperate in several international
projects such as COST, PECO and bilateral projects with research
institutions in Germany, the United Kingdom and USA.
Some Current Projects:
- The relationship between microstructure and electrical
properties in nonlinear ZnO ceramics
- Hydrothermal synthesis and sintering of MnZn ferrites
- Materials for solid oxide fuel cells
- Sol-gel processing of PZT and PLZT thin films
- Solution processing of PZT powder
- TiO2 humidity sensors from sol-gel monoliths
- The role of powder properties in tape casting -- PZT as a
case study
- Injection moulding of monolithic and reinforced reaction
bonded ceramics
- Water-based injection moulding
- Dielectric ceramics
- Microwave ceramics based on the BaO-TiO2-Ln2O3
system (Ln = La, Nd, Gd); processing -- microstructure -- properties relationships
- Chemical reactions and microstructures in BaTiO3-based
ceramics
- HDDR processing of NdFeB high coercive powders
- Phase equilibria studies in BaO-TiO2-rare earth oxide
systems
- Processing and properties of Sm2Fe17Nx magnets
- Thick film materials and technology for sensor applications.
- Glass and mineral fibres for thermoisolation.
Main Equipment
- Powder processing equipment for milling, sieving, blending,
wet chemical methods.
- Processing equipment for pressing, isostatic pressing,
injection moulding, casting,
- Sintering and heat treatment equipment: furnaces: air and
controlled atmosphere 1500-2500°C, hot pressing: air, O2,
vacuum, 1200°C, HIP: 2000°C, 20 MPa.
- Ceramic machining: diamond cutting, grinding, drilling,
metallographic polishing.
- Mechanical testing: Instron mechanical tester.
- Electrical and magnetic testing: magnetometer,
piezo d33 meter, impedance analyser, 4129 LF Hewlett Packard.
- Equipment for thick film technology
- BET Surface analyser, Perkin-Elmer
- Particle Sizer, Cilas Alcatel
- Porosimeter, Micromeritics
- Rotary viscosimeter, Haake (to 1500°C)
- Thermal analyser 429 Netzsch (to 1600°C)
- Dilatometer Bahr (to 1500°C)
- XRD, Phillips PN 1710
- SEM, Leitz -- AMR 1600 T with EDS PGT 4
- SEM, Jeol JXA-840 with EDS and WDS
- STEM, Jeol JEM 2000 FX with EDS AN 10000 (LINK)
- Several optical microscopes with stereological image
analyser (Contron)
Area:
The Department occupies 3 buildings with a total area of 2.000 m².
Dr. Marija Kosec