6D ceramics

6D ceramics
The way a material is oriented can have a big influence on its properties, but the way we make materials today usually does not allow us to fully utilize this. This grant aims to realize “6D ceramics”: ceramics that have both tailored shape in 3D, and a tailored grain orientation in 3D. We will try to demonstrate the approach by making a 6D ceramic energy harvester that delivers more energy than with a conventional ceramic. The grant will fund the recipient and two PhD students.