Dr Rebecca Boston

MRSC, FHEA, PhD Nanomaterials Chemistry, MSci (Hons) Physics

School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering

Senior Lecturer in Functional Ceramics

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Dr Rebecca Boston
Profile picture of Dr Rebecca Boston
r.boston@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5484
Sir Robert Hadfield Building

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Dr Rebecca Boston
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

I did an MPhys in Physics, followed by a PhD in Chemistry both at the University of Bristol. I moved to Sheffield in 2014 as a PDRA, working in the Functional Materials and Devices group, and in 2016 was awarded a Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd's Register Foundation Research Fellowship in the synthesis of functional oxides. Following this, I was made Senior Lecturer, and continue to work in the synthesis and sintering of functional ceramics.

Qualifications
  • Jan 2022- present: Senior Research Fellow
  • 2016-present: Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow in nanostructured oxides for sustainable energy storage and recovery
  • 2014 - 2016: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Sustainable Functional Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield 
  • 2010 - 2014: PhD Researcher, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol
  • 2006 - 2010: MSci Physics, University of Bristol
Research interests

The size and shape of crystals in functional ceramics can have a big impact on their properties. My work seeks to develop and understand new ways to control shape and size in nanoscale ceramic materials, to improve properties in a range of functionalities, including superconductors and breeder blanket materials for fusion, thermoelectrics and battery materials. This encompasses understanding the fundamentals of powder crystallisation and morphological control, through to development of novel sintering techniques to create nanostructured sintered ceramics to generate new or improved electrical, thermal, electrochemical or magnetic properties.    

Key research interests

  • Low temperature synthesis
  • Cold sintering
  • High temperature superconductors
  • Thermoelectrics
  • Li and Na ion battery cathodes and anodes
  • Understanding crystallisation
Publications

Journal articles

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Grants
  • Lloyd's Register Foundation and Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship (Principal Investigator)
  • International Consortium of Nanotechnologies PhD studentships (Principal Investigator)
  • FutureCat (Faraday Institution) (Co-Investigator)
  • NEXGENNa (Faraday Institution) (Co-Investigator)
Teaching activities

Current courses include:

MAT1220- Introduction to materials properties (optics)

GEE206- Mechanical and functional behaviour of materials (optics)

MAT2220- Functional materials (quantum mechanics)

MAT2930/MAT214- Perspectives in materials research

MAT360 Research techniques and projects

MAT6514 Solid state chemistry (synthesis and sintering)

Tutor

Professional activities and memberships
  • Associate editor for Materials Today Communications
  • MRSC
  • FHEA
  • Member of the Ceramics Academics Forum