Crystallographic modeling & electrical behavior of industrial ceramics

Ceramic materials are an important class of compounds, which have found numerous applications in science, technology and Industry. Besides their well-known applications in ceramic-ware their several new applications have been discovered. They are often used to make insulators, electrical, electronic devices and hardware components. Their behavior as super conducting materials has in fact opened up a completely new area of research. One of the recent applications of titania and zirconia based ceramic precursors is in immobilization and solidification of radioactive isotopes occurring in waste effluents coming out of nuclear establishments and power stations. Due to long term stability and integrity of the ceramic waste forms of high and intermediate level nuclear waste, several countries have switched over from 'glass technology' to 'ceramic technology' of radwaste management. These and many more applications make ceramics materials an interesting area of research and engineering sciences. It would be, therefore, desirable to study the titania, zirconia and phosphate based ceramic materials followed by their physiochemical characterization and possible applications.