Position: Ph.D. Student (MatSE), NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Member since: Spring 2015

Contact information: semurra2@illinois.edu

Research description: In order to synthesize candidate materials for thermal conductivity switches and superconductors, I have applied solid-state synthesis and gas-flow metathesis methods. I commonly perform in-house scattering techniques such as X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence to analyze samples.

I am currently investigating the mechanism of flash sintering by applying in-situ Raman and other ex-situ scattering and spectroscopy techniques. My investigation has included visits to synchrotron facilities. Flash sintering is a method to rapidly densify ceramics at low temperatures by applying an electric field, but the mechanism is not well understood. Defects are thought to play an important role in densification during flash, so my goal is to characterize defects that occur during flash sintering.