Anatoly Frenkel, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at Stony Brook University, and his research team have been honored with the Ross Coffin Purdy Award for their work on ceramic materials. The award is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to ceramic technical literature.
Frenkel's collaborative research focused on developing lead-free Zr-doped cerium oxide ceramics that exhibit giant electrostriction. Electrostriction refers to a material’s ability to change shape when an electric field is applied. The team's findings showed that this new material develops mechanical strain due to the electric field but does not produce an electric field in response to strain.
The use of these materials has potential applications in technologies such as cell phones, sonar devices, and washing machines because they can convert energy into physical motion. Existing commercial materials with similar properties often contain lead, which poses health and environmental risks. The new Zr-doped cerium oxide offers a safer alternative by eliminating lead from its composition.
“It’s an honor that our collaborative work has been recognized with the Ross Coffin Purdy Award,” said Frenkel.
Frenkel worked alongside Igor Lubomirsky from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and Yue Qi from Brown University. Lubomirsky was responsible for synthesizing the material and testing its electrical and mechanical properties. Frenkel’s group conducted high-resolution structural analysis at the NSLS-II synchrotron at Brookhaven National Laboratory, discovering that clusters of atoms around zirconium are key to the material's unique response to electricity. Qi contributed computer simulations showing that when an electric field is applied, small atomic clusters rotate slightly, altering the material’s shape or strain.
“What makes this project truly fascinating is that we were able to unravel the mystery of the local structure in this material — a puzzle that long eluded explanation,” said Frenkel. “We suspected that the door to understanding its giant electrostriction was hidden in the fine details of the zirconium environment. Working closely with theorists, we not only found that hidden door but also the key to it, revealing how to tune electrostriction on demand.“
Dilip Gersappe, chair of Stony Brook's Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, commented on the achievement: “This award highlights the outstanding impact of Professor Frenkel and his collaborators in redefining how we think about electrostrictive materials. We are proud of this international collaboration and the recognition it brings to Stony Brook University leadership in materials science.”
Frenkel has also secured funding from NSF for further research in this area.
“I’m deeply grateful to my partners, Professor Igor Lubomirsky and Professor Yue Qi, with whom we combined synthesis, characterization and modeling into a seamless and truly collaborative effort,” said Frenkel.