Dr. Yatir Sadia Is Researching New Materials for Energy Applications

The strontium titanate (Sr-Ti-O) family of materials is used in a wide range of applications: optics, dielectric materials, water splitting to hydrogen and oxygen, capacitors, microwave-range filters, and energy conversion in fuel cells and thermoelectric materials. Attempts to develop, modify, or optimize materials of this kind are based mainly on replacing Sr and Ti atoms with different metal atoms, since their sites are easier to replace using standard production methods. However, making significant changes to the anion (oxygen) can open up a world of opportunities to numerous new materials with improved and unexpected properties for a variety of applications.

Dr. Sadia's research on this topic focuses on identifying oxyfluorides in the Sr-Ti-O-F system and on their ionic-electronic properties for thermoelectric and ionic-conductor applications. “We will be studying several unique production methods, with the aim of stabilizing fluorine (F) within the Sr-Ti-O structures, identifying its solubility level, stabilizing new phases, and studying diffusion and reaction rates in the system,” explains Dr. Sadia. “We will also be studying the stability, electrical conductivity, and ionic conductivity of these phases, in order to identify which applications are most relevant for these materials and to understand their limitations. It is important to note that the methods we will use could be used in future studies of a wide range of similar types of materials, such as La-Ti-O-F or Ca-Ti-O-F, and others.”

The research earned Dr. Sadia a grant from the Israel Science Foundation. In addition, Dr. Sadia received an equipment grant to establish a laboratory where he and his team will measure transport properties under controlled temperature and partial oxygen concentration. “In many cases, deviating from the equilibrium conditions of materials of this kind will not provide us with the unique structures we are looking for,” explains Dr. Sadia. “The laboratory will allow us to find precise synthesis and measurement conditions for these materials."