In materials with complex chemistry, even a small concentration of defects may lead to a heterogeneous mesostructure and properties that differ from what is expected based on the material’s nominal crystal structure. One intriguing outcome of this complexity is the emergence of properties forbidden by the material’s nominal, average symmetry. In this talk, I will discuss doped CeO2, along with a few other materials. Although compositionally simple, doped CeO2 exhibits a complex defect structure that can be manipulated by external electrical and mechanical fields, resulting in symmetry-forbidden electrical polarity and electro-chemo-thermo-mechanical coupling. I will relate these findings to recent reports on a giant electro-mechanical response. Finally, I will provide a general comment on the communication of unusual results in scientific publications.
Dose assessment: from conceptual model to environmental radioactivity monitoring
Radionuclides are discharged into the environment from a variety of nuclear and radiation facilities, potentially causing harmful effects on human health and the environment. If discharges are likely to result in adverse radiological effects, they must be evaluated in...
