Professor J Paul Attfield (FRS)

Professor of Materials Science at Extreme Conditions

Contact details

Address

Street

Room 263
University of Edinburgh
Joseph Black Building
David Brewster Road
Edinburgh
EH9 3FJ

City
Post code

Research summary

Magnetism, superconductivity, high pressure synthesis, materials chemistry

Research Overview 

We are interested in the chemistry of materials that show notable physical properties. These are of fundamental interest, and may be important in the technologies of tomorrow. A central theme is to find how unusual conducting and magnetic properties depend upon chemical composition and structure. Materials of interest include high-temperature superconducting copper oxides, transition metal oxides showing CMR (Colossal Magneto-Resistances - large variations of electrical resistance with magnetic field strength, used for storing and reading information on computer hard disks), and charge ordered materials such as the mineral magnetite, Fe3O4.

Much of our research is centred on the synthesis of the above types of material under high pressure. This research forms part of the programme of the Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions (CSEC).

Powder X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments are used to determine precise atomic structures of these materials. The data are collected in-house and at national and international synchrotron X-ray and neutron facilities in the UK and Grenoble, France.

 

See PURE for publications.

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