The European Ceramic Society
Laboratory sheet
Belgium
Sol-Gel Centre for Inorganic Powders and Thin films Synthesis
Research towards solution based synthesis routes for the preparation of ceramic coatings, nanoparticles and bulk materials.
Director : Prof.Dr. Isabel Van Driessche
Email : Isabel.VanDriessche@ugent.be
Phone : 0032 9 264 44 33
Address : Krijgslaan 281 S3 - 9000 Ghent Belgium
Website : www.scripts.ugent.be
Research topics :
- Nanoparticles for pinning: controlled synthesis of monodisperse metal oxide nanocrystals (e.g. ZrO2, HfO2, Ta2O5, BaZrO3), stabilization of the resulting nanocrystals in high ionic environments (e.g. methanol based YBa2Cu3O7-x or YBCO precursor solution) and processing into a coated conductor.
Contact information :
Prof. Dr. Isabel Van Driessche
0032 9 264 44 33
- Titania coatings on polymers: cheap synthesis of crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles through microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis. The use of crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles makes it possible to deposit transparent TiO2 coatings at reduced temperatures on polymers.
Contact information :
Dr. Petra Lommens
0032 9 264 96 84
- Ink-jet printing of superconducting YBCO layers: strobe controlled illumination system for monitoring droplet formation and travelling, patterning, complete coverage, piezo-electric or electromagnetic printheads.
Contact information :
Prof. Dr. Isabel Van Driessche
0032 9 264 44 33
- New synthesis methods for mesoporous titania: Method 1: synthesis of TiO2 nanocrystals and subsequent ordening of the crystals by addition of micelle forming surfactants that contains a functional chemical group that can chemically anchor the nanocrystals. Method 2: use of thermally more stable polymers that degrade at higher temperatures, when the titania precursor is already crystallized.
Contact information :
Dr. Petra Lommens
0032 9 264 96 84
- Buffer layers for coated conductors: use of concentrated aqueous solutions for SrTiO3 and YBiO3 as buffer layers, which allows the deposition of thick layers (> 100 nm) in a single coating step through ink-jet printing.
Contact information :
Prof. Dr. Isabel Van Driessche
0032 9 264 44 33
- Nanostructured SrTiO3 as high efficiency thermoelectric ceramic: synthesis of nanostructured SrTiO3 via a templating approach. Influence of morphology, dimensions and orientations of the nanostructures on the thermoelectric properties are investigated.
Contact information :
Prof. Dr. Klaartje De Buysser
0032 9 264 44 41
- Ink-jet printed Al:ZnO for transparent conductors: development of suited precursor for low temperature synthesize of Al:ZnO (sol-gel) and subsequent ink-jet printing to skip further etching steps. The influence of the precursor on the final properties of the transparent conductive materials is studied.
Contact information :
Prof. Dr. Klaartje De Buysser
0032 9 264 44 41
Exceptional facilities :
Ink-jet printer (single and multi-nozzle set-up), CEM discover microwave, Zetisizer ZS Nano, TEM, SEM, XRD, XRF, contact angle set-up, dipcoater, TGA-DTA, tube and muffle furnaces.
Financial support programmes :
- European funding: EUROTAPES
- Regional fundings: GOA, Umisol, IWT, FWO, BOF
Latest news
2025 ECerS International Ceramist Student Exchange Program – 3rd call!
In the frame of the 2025 ECerS International Student exchange program, ECerS is opening a first call to allow grants to European Students to attend the 2025 International Symposium on Green Processing for Advanced Ceramics (IGPAC 2025), organised by the Ceramic Society of Japan, from 5th to 9th October 2025 in Ise-Shima/Mie, Japan.
Next Deadline to apply to the JECS Trust for Mobility projects is 31st August 2025!
Please note that the decisions of the JECS Trust board will not be known before end of October 2025. Activities submitted for the deadline of 31st August 2025 for support from the JECS Trust should then not begin before November 2025.
Information
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