Materials Science Institute of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain

Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla, (Materials Science Institute of Sevilla) is integrated in the Research Centre of Excellence “Isla de la Cartuja” and is the reference point for the research in Materials Science in Andalusia, the South most region of Spain. The Centre is founded by the Spanish Research Council (CSIC), the University of Sevilla (US) and the local Government of Andalusia and is equipped with very modern common services. The research group “Nanostructured Materials and Microstructure”, integrated in the Materials Science Institute of Sevilla, has a wide experience in research in the field of nanomaterials and especially in the correlation between preparation conditions, microstructure and properties. In particular they have previously investigated the oxidation behaviour of nanocrystalline Mg and MgH₂ and the role of transition metal oxide additives during hydrogen storage in nanocrystalline Magnesium.

TEM/ED Philips CM200 (200kV), LaB6 filament, double-tilt goniometer, Point to point resolution: 0.24 nm EELS Spectrometer - Gatan  Energy resolution: 1.2 nm EDX In situ Heating in vacuum

Prof. Asunción Fernández Camacho, with background in Materials Science, is expert in applications of XPS and EELS techniques to the analysis of oxidation states and chemical interactions.  She obtained her Degree in Chemistry, University of Cadiz (1980) and she received the PhD degree at University of Dortmund (1983). She is head of the group of nanostructured materials and microstructure, which operates within the «Materials Science Institute of Sevilla» that depends on the Spanish Research Council (C.S.I.C.) and the University of Sevilla. Dr. Fernández is research Professor of the CSIC and Director of the Institute since 2001. She carries out her research in the field of preparation and microstructural characterisation of nanostructured materials. She has over 150 international publications and has a wide experience acting as partner group leader in European and national projects. At present her research team is working on the preparation of nanostructured materials in the form of ultrafine particles as well as thin films. The team uses XPS and EELS in particular, to analyse oxidation states and chemical interactions.

Dr. Juan Carlos Sánchez López (Scientific staff) with background in Materials Science is expert in applications of XPS and EELS techniques to the analysis of oxidation states and chemical interactions. He has over 50 international publications and has a wide working on the preparation and characterization of nanostructured materials in the form of ultrafine particles as well as thin films.

Dr. Teresa Cristina Rojas Ruiz (Technical staff) with background in Materials Science, is expert in applications of TEM/EELS and XAS techniques to the analysis of nanostructured materials. She is in charge of the Transmission Electron Microscopy Facilities of the ICMSE.

XRD Siemens D5000 (Cu Ka: 1.54 Å)  Grazing incidence accesory: a<5º Philips X’Pert. Cu and Cr Kα High temperature chamber (1200ºC), Vacuum (10-5Torr), atmospheric pressure of O2, N2

Mrs.Emilie Deprez (PhD student) with background in Materials Science has experience with XPS and XRD thanks to different training courses. She obtained an engineering diploma in Materials Science at Polytech Grenoble, University Josef Fourier (2005) and was working for one year in Germany as an Engineer. She is starting her PhD on complex and reactive hydride materials for hydrogen storage.

Experimental facilities:

transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, regular access to synchrotron radiation facilities (ESRF) through beam time application: X-ray absorption spectroscopy, FTIR spectrometer (Nicolet 510)

Selected Publications

O.Friedrichs, J.C.Sánchez-López, C.López-Cartés, T.Klassen, R.Bormann, A.Fernández.,  “Nb2O5 “Pathway Effect” on Hydrogen Sorption in Mg ”, J.Phys.Chem.B, 110, 2006, 7845-7850.

O.Friedrichs, T.Klassen, J.C.Sánchez-López, R.Bormann, A.Fernández.,  “Hydrogen sorption improvement of nanocrystalline MgH2 by Nb205 nanoparticles”, Scripta Materialia, 54, 2006, 1293-1297.

XPS VG ESCALAB 210 Hemispherical analyzer, 5 channeltrons, double anode (Mg and Al) LEYBOLD Hemispherical analyzer, 10 Torr H2 up to 500ºC, 10 Torr O2 up to 200ºC, Vacuum up to 750ºC

Contact

Prof. Dr. Asunción Maria Fernández Camacho
Insituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla ICMSE
Universidad de Sevilla
Americo Vespucio 49
E-41092 Isla de la Cartuja (Sevilla)
Spain

Phone +34 (95) 4489527
Fax +34 (95) 4460665

http://www.icmse.csic.es/