Research Fellow in High Entropy Dielectric Ceramics

Job Description

Organization: University of Leeds

Location: Leeds, United Kingdom

Employment Type: Full-Time | Research Fellow

Project Overview

This EPSRC-funded Research Fellow position is based within Dr. Zhilun Lu’s research group and focuses on developing high-entropy BiFeO₃-based dielectric ceramics for next-generation multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs). The project aims to significantly improve energy storage density, breakdown strength, efficiency, and operating temperature range (-55°C to 250°C) for advanced power electronics applications.

The research combines advanced ceramic synthesis, structural characterization, and electrical property measurements to establish the relationships between composition, entropy, crystal structure, and dielectric energy storage performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and fabricate high-entropy BiFeO₃-based dielectric ceramics.
• Process and characterize advanced ceramic materials for energy storage applications.
• Perform electrical characterization and dielectric property measurements.
• Conduct advanced structural analysis using X-ray diffraction, neutron scattering, and electron microscopy.
• Interpret structural data using techniques such as Rietveld refinement and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis.
• Contribute to EPSRC-funded research on next-generation multilayer ceramic capacitors.

Required Qualifications

• PhD (or close to completion) in Materials Science, Physics, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong background in dielectric ceramics, ferroelectrics, or functional oxide materials.
• Experience in ceramic or complex oxide fabrication, processing, and characterization.
• Experience with electrical property measurements of dielectric materials.
• Knowledge of advanced structural characterization techniques including X-ray diffraction, neutron scattering, and/or electron microscopy.
• Experience with crystal structure analysis such as Rietveld refinement or pair distribution function (PDF) analysis.

Research Areas

• High-Entropy Ceramics
• Dielectric Materials
• Ferroelectric Materials
• Energy Storage Materials
• Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCCs)
• Functional Oxides

Additional Information

• EPSRC-funded research project.
• Flexible working arrangements may be available.
• Potential eligibility for Skilled Worker or Global Talent visa routes.

Contact:
Dr. Zhilun Lu
Email: [email protected]