| Abstract Scope |
Compositionally and structurally complex materials designed at atomic or small nano-sizes make fine tuning and expansion of the range of optical, magnetic, semiconductor properties of ceramic materials and composites possible. A very interesting and promising class of materials is ceramic composites with atom or molecular scale oxide inclusions and metallic inclusions in sizes below 5-8 nm. Such composites provide stable materials with unique optical, magnetic, mechanic, and catalytic properties, not accessible by the same inclusion materials in larger sizes. However, in spite of the obvious great possibilities with such materials there are very few studies exploring these possibilities, which is likely connected, to the lack of well understood synthesis routes. These complex materials are for most cases best synthesised by solution based routes. In this talk, processes to composites with molecular-like oxide inclusions and metallic inclusions will be discussed in detail, as well as some of their properties. |