Dr Rebecca Boston
MRSC, FHEA, PhD Nanomaterials Chemistry, MSci (Hons) Physics
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Senior Lecturer in Functional Ceramics
Student Admissions Tutor
+44 114 222 5484
Full contact details
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
- Profile
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I did an MPhys in Physics, followed by a PhD in Chemistry both at the University of Bristol. I moved to Sheffield in 2014 as a PDRA, working in the Functional Materials and Devices group, and in 2016 was awarded a Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd's Register Foundation Research Fellowship in the synthesis of functional oxides. Following this, I was made Senior Lecturer, and continue to work in the synthesis and sintering of functional ceramics.
- Qualifications
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- Jan 2022- present: Senior Research Fellow
- 2016-present: Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow in nanostructured oxides for sustainable energy storage and recovery
- 2014 - 2016: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Sustainable Functional Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield
- 2010 - 2014: PhD Researcher, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol
- 2006 - 2010: MSci Physics, University of Bristol
- Research interests
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- Low temperature synthesis
- Cold sintering
- High temperature superconductors
- Thermoelectrics
- Li and Na ion battery cathodes and anodes
- Understanding crystallisation
Every electronic device on the planet, from mobile phones to complex scientific equipment, relies on functional oxide materials (crystalline matter composed of a mixture of metallic elements and oxygen) to control operation or performance. This might be directly as part of a circuit, for example in capacitors, which are predicted to have a global market of $50 billion by 2020, or as a stand-alone device, e.g. a thermoelectric generator which recovers waste heat energy. Many of these materials contain rare or toxic elements, making the devices which use them expensive or difficult to recycle.
We can improve the function of these materials (and potentially remove the need for the toxic/scarce elements) by controlling the nano- and micro-structure of the devices. This requires the development of new synthetic methods which control the morphology from the bottom up. Biotemplates and solvent-based combustion syntheses are a rapid and sustainable way of doing this and so my research is concerned with improving functionality through controlling crystal morphology.
Sintering technology is also a key area of development, as at present there are very few ways to preserve nanostructures within a sintered ceramic. Cold sintering is a means to preserve this type of structure, and we have an active research interest in this for emergent morphology-function relationships
Current research projects include:
- Nanostructuring in Na-ion battery anodes and cathodes
- Materials discovery in Na-ion battery materials
- Low temperature sintering in dielectric materials
- Nanostructured La-SrTiO3 thermoelectrics
- Synthesis and sintering of next generation fusion materials
Applications from self-funded students are welcome and a range of projects are currently available. Please contact Dr Rebecca Boston directly to discuss further.
- Publications
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Journal articles
- Thermoelectric properties of A-site deficient reduced Sr0.775La0.15-xEuxTiO3-δ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15). Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 116901-116901.
- Effect of graphene oxide and carbon black on the thermoelectric performance of niobium doped strontium titanate. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 988, 174242-174242.
- A comparative study of the effect of synthesis method on the formation of P2- and P3-Na0.67Mn0.9Mg0.1O2 cathodes. Materials Research Express, 10(7), 074003-074003.
- Xanthan gum as a water-based binder for P3-Na2/3Ni1/3Mn2/3O2. Frontiers in Energy Research, 10.
- Mechanical properties of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Joule.
- Correction to “Investigating the Potential of Electroless Nickel Plating for Fabricating Ultra-Porous Metal-Based Lattice Structures Using PolyHIPE Templates”. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
- An ionic liquid synthesis route for mixed-phase sodium titanate (Na2Ti3O7 and Na2Ti6O13) rods as an anode for sodium-ion batteries. Nanoscale.
- Investigating the Potential of Electroless Nickel Plating for Fabricating Ultra-Porous Metal-Based Lattice Structures Using PolyHIPE Templates. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
- Research group
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PDRAs:
- Dr Pooja Kumari
- Dr Jess Andrews
- Dr Laura Wheatcroft
PhD students:
- Silvija Zilinskaite
- George Wilson
- Steph Mudd
- Enrique Casanas
- Ryan Emmett
- Yu-han Huang
- Yining Li
MSc students (2021-22):
- Fangxing Ai
- Connagh Launchbury
Undergraduate students (2021-22):
- Matt Turton
- Grants
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- Lloyd's Register Foundation and Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship (Principal Investigator)
- International Consortium of Nanotechnologies PhD studentships (Principal Investigator)
- FutureCat (Faraday Institution) (Co-Investigator)
- NEXGENNa (Faraday Institution) (Co-Investigator)
- Teaching activities
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Current courses include:
MAT1220- Introduction to materials properties (optics)
GEE206- Mechanical and functional behaviour of materials (optics)
MAT2220- Functional materials (quantum mechanics)
MAT2930/MAT214- Perspectives in materials research
MAT360 Research techniques and projects
MAT6514 Solid state chemistry (synthesis and sintering)
Tutor
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Associate editor for Materials Today Communications
- MRSC
- FHEA
- Member of the Ceramics Academics Forum