Multidisciplinary Studies on Ceramics Group

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURAL RELIABILITY

MATERIALS AND COMPONENTS FOR DENTAL IMPLANTOPROSTHESES

SEPIOLITE-BASED ADDITIVES AS A VECTOR OF NANOPARTICLES TO IMPROVE THE PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC MATRICES.

GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE PROCESSING

We work on the design of new materials with a range of specific properties for a given application. Special emphasis is placed on the control of process parameters in relation to the microstructure and on the development of economically viable manufacturing technologies with extremely high performance. See our recent work on green and sustainable processing of piezoelectrics “BaZrO₃-BaTiO₃-CaTiO₃ piezoceramics by a water-based mixed-oxide route: Synergetic action of attrition milling and lyophilization” here

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURAL RELIABILITY

The group specialises in the mechanical behaviour, reliability and the relationship between microstructure and in-service behaviour of a wide range of advanced materials. For example, it studies the biomechanical behaviour of different commercial structural prostheses in order to replace the materials from which they are made with new materials that are more reliable, durable and at the same time multifunctional. This last reserach line is based on the basic knowledge acquired in the field of biomaterials to transfer it to a real clinical problem.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPECT ISSUE

During the last two decades a great number of countries in all continents have legislated to replace commercial ceramics based on the xPbTiO₃-(1-x)PbZrO₃ solid solution, known as PZT, with Lead-Free materials. See our review: "Towards Lead-Free Piezoceramics: Facing a Synthesis Challenge".

MATERIALS AND COMPONENTS FOR DENTAL IMPLANTOPROSTHESES

Nowadays, the problems related to dental implants, in which this line of research is included, have an extraordinary impact both from a social point of view (in the EU alone the number of people who need implants is more than 100 million) and from an economic point of view. It is a sector with a spectacular growth (>20% per year), reaching a volume of € 5000 million in the EU alone. The results of this line have led to the development of new generation of biomaterials for use in dental applications with a higher success rate than current implants.

SEPIOLITE-BASED ADDITIVES AS A VECTOR OF NANOPARTICLES TO IMPROVE THE PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC MATRICES.

The main objective of this research line is the development of nanocomposite materials with an inorganic or polymeric matrix with multiple functionalities, e.g. high mechanical and tribological resistance, biocidal activity, etc. Sepiolite is able to host nanoparticles and optimise nano/microparticulate materials with many interesting properties, which are being exploited in products with new functionalities.

Description and Mission of the group

The components of this Group are the ICMM researchers José F. Bartolomé, Sonia López Esteban and Lorena Pardo. The activity of the group is related to the development of ceramic or composite materials with multiple functionalities. These activities have aspects related to the three research lines of ICMM:

Materials for a sustainable world
Materials for health
Materials for digital information

Processing

Design of new materials with special focus on the control of process parameters to taylor the microstructure and on the development of economically viable routes for extremely high performance.

This activities aim to determine the structural fiability and realiability of ceramics and composites with a wide range of functionalities.

Study of green-piezoelectric ceramics - ferroelectric poly-crystals - for sensors, actuators and transducers for numerous devices in industry, health, energy and other emerging technologies.

A new manuscript has been published and has been granted a cover page: «Synergistically ceramization of rubber system for fire safety cable by sepiolite functionalized with boron-based nanoparticles». by M.L. Puertas, José F. Bartolomé and A. Esteban-Cubillo. Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio 64(1), 33-44 (2025) ABSTRACT…

Overseas Study Programme of Anhui University of Science and Technology

Last 9th May, 2025, took place at the IMDEA Materials Institute of Madrid the Mid-Term Meeting of the Students Overseas Study Programme of the Anhui University of Science and Technology. This meeting was organized by the IMDEA researcher, Prof. De-Yi Wang (in the center of the picture). Our students Quang…

Work on BCTZ published at “Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio”

“Hallmarks of BCZT-based piezoceramics: From chemical fundamental to processing route and biomedical applications” Marzia Mureddu, Armando Reyes-Montero, Sonia Lopez-Esteban, Jose F. Bartolome, Stefano Enzo, Lorena Pardo, Sebastiano Garroni. Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio. Online at 26 de February, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.bsecv.2025.01.003 This manuscript is part of…

New work published on BC15TZ10 ceramics processing

“High Purity, Crystallinity and Electromechanical Sensitivity of Lead-Free (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.10Ti0.90)O3 Synthesized Using an EDTA/glycerol Modified Pechini Method» Laura Caggiu, Costantino Cau, Marzia Mureddu, Stefano Enzo, Fabrizio Murgia, Lorena Pardo, Sonia Lopez-Esteban, Jose F. Bartolomé, Gabriele Mulas, Roberto Orrù and Sebastiano Garroni. Materials, 18(5), 1180 (2025) DOI: 10.3390/ma18051180

New manuscript published in Materials MDPI Open Access journal

“Multipurpose X-Ray Stage and Its Application for In Situ Poling Studies” by Antonio Iacomini, Davide Sanna, Marzia Mureddu, Laura Caggiu, Costantino Cau, Stefano Enzo, Edgar Eduardo Villalobos-Portillo, Lorena Pardo and Sebastiano Garroni. Materials, 18(5), 1004 (2025) DOI: 10.3390/ma18051004 This manuscript is part of the Ph.D. Thesis work of Dr. Antonio…

28 March,2025 – Deadline for abstract submission to EC_XVII

Electrocerámica XVII, organized by the National Renewable Energy Center (CENER), HyGrIn Lab – Innovation for Green Hydrogen and the Spanish Society of Ceramic and Glass, will represent a unique forum for experts from different fields to present their last advances, exchange experiences and explore synergies and ideas with new colleagues….

Welcome Dr. Maria Fernanda Acosta Garcia to MSCG.

Dr. Acosta is currently Assistant Professor, since 2024 at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and is a team member of the «Micro and Nano Functional Materials» research group in the Department of Applied Physics….

Trabaja con nosotros: ABIERTA LA CONVOCATORIA JAE INTRO ICU 2025

CONVOCATORIA JAE INTRO ICU 2025: INSTITUTO DE CIENCIA DE MATERIALES DE MADRID (ICMM) Las becas JAE Intro ICU están dirigidas a estudiantes universitarios de Grado o Máster con interés en iniciarse en la carrera científica. El objetivo es que esta iniciación en la carrera científica permita…

Short stay of Prof. Nicolás L. Pérez Álvarez within the ICMM International Visitors Program

From January 28 to February 7, Prof. Nicolás Pérez Alvarez, who is currently a Full Professor at the Facultad de Ingeniería , Universidad de la República, Uruguay, visited ICMM invited by Lorena Pardo. He is expert on the physics of the ultrasounds and electrical engineering on the areas of industrial…

Victor Escribano Castillo got his Master Degree

Last June 2024, our student Victor Escribano Castillo passed with a high score the examination of his final work for the Master Degree of «INGENIERÍA EN SISTEMAS INDUSTRIALES» at the «Escuela de Arquitectura, ingeniería y Diseño, Universidad Europea de Madrid». Title of the work: «ESTUDIO DE LA INTEGRIDAD MECÁNICA DE…