LABORATORY
"MICROWAVE MAGNETICS"
Contract №: KP-06-H98/5
"Static and dynamic characteristics of composites based on nanosized magnetic materials in the 1 MHz – 18 GHz frequency range"
Competition:
Competition for financial support of basic research projects – 2025, Bulgarian National Science Fund
Main scientific field in which the project applies:
Physical sciences
Key investigations:
Nanomagnets, composites, magnetic and microwave characteristics
Type of the planned research:
Basic
Applying organization:
Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IE-BAS)
Partner organizations:
Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry (IGIC)
Coordinator of the research team:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetoslav Mihailov Kolev
Abstract of the project:
The magnetic materials and the composites prepared by dispersing them in a polymer matrix have proved to be promising concerning the development of novel functional materials and coatings. Using polymer composites is attractive thanks to their low weight and high flexibility, while allowing easy control of their physical and chemical properties. The composites combine the characteristics of ferrite materials, which are known for their excellent magnetic properties, with those of the polymer matrix, which provides chemical and considerable mechanical stability, mechanical integrity, ease of preparing in precise complex geometrical shapes. Composites based on magnetic materials are widely employed as electromagnetic interference screens to protect electronic equipment from external electromagnetic radiation, as well as to avoid the emission of unwanted electromagnetic fields by such equipment. Moreover, magnetic composites are used to improve the transmission efficiency of antennas by way of controlling the electromagnetic field, and as magnetic field sensors in medical equipment, such as magnetic resonance tomography.
The main objective of the proposed project is acquiring new knowledge concerning the preparation and properties of novel useful multifunctional composite structures based on nanosized single-domain ferrites with spinel (soft magnetic ferrites) or hexagonal (hard magnetic ferrites) crystal structure, as well as on high-entropy oxides of spinel structure (HEO). The connection will be studied between the structural particularities (both on close-range and long-range order) of these materials with their magnetic, dielectric and microwave (MW) properties, in particular, their MW absorption and antireflection capabilities. Special attention will be paid to the effects of the ferrite’s shape, size, orientation and volume fraction in the composite on the magnetic and MW characteristics of the latter. It is also planned to assess the ferrite composite’s magnetic field by using a coherent spectroscopy optical technique.
Additional studies and comparative analyses will be carried out aimed at selecting the most efficient technique of preparing ferrites with a spinel or a hexagonal crystal structure and HEOs in view of achieving a homogeneous composite material, clarifying the effect of the synthesis technique on the ferrite component’s structure, morphology and magnetic, dielectric and MW properties, and following the material’s temporal stability when subjected to various influences. New data will thus be obtained on the effects of the intrinsic properties (nano size, single-domain structure) of ferrites with low (spinels) and high (hexaferrites) magneto-crystalline anisotropy and of HEOs on the magnetic and MW properties of the composite materials developed on their basis.
The results expected have to do with revealing the factors impacting the structural, magnetic, dielectric and MW characteristics of the composite structures considered.
Assessing the influence of the separate components on the MW absorption and antireflection capabilities of composite structures prepared on their basis within the wide frequency range of 1 MHz – 18 GHz will provide the basis of a comparative analysis of the data obtained by the magnetic, dielectric and MW measurements carried out on the ferrite materials and composite structures.
Members of the research team:
Applying organization: Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
- Assoc. Prof., PhD Svetoslav Kolev - researcher
- Prof., D. Sc. Kiril Krezhov - pensioner
- Assoc. Prof., PhD Tatyana Koutzarova - researcher
- Chief assist., PhD Tanya Malakova - postdoctoral fellow
- Chief assist., PhD Elena Taskova - researcher
- PhD Borislava Georgieva - postdoctoral fellow
- Physicist Chavdar Ghelev - pensioner
Partner organization: Institute of general and inorganic chemistry
- Prof., D. Sc. Daniela Kovacheva - researcher
- Assoc. Prof., PhD Peter Tzvetkov - researcher
- Chief assist., PhD Nikolay Marinkov - postdoctoral fellow
- Chemist Boryana Rashkova - researcher
PROJECT BASELINE DATA:
10.12.2025
CONTRACT TERM:
3 years
Budget:
Basic project budget
- 300 000 BGN
- 125 000 BGN
Distribution of the requested budget for accomplishment of the project (in BGN) between the applying and partner organizations
- Amount of basic budget: 195 000 BGN
- Amount of additional budget for equipment and immaterial assets: 125 000 BGN
- Amount of basic budget:105 000 BGN
- Amount of additional budget for equipment and immaterial assets: 0 BGN
Coordinator’s address:
Organization:
Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
e-mail: skolev@ie.bas.bg, svet_kolev@yahoo.com
tel.: +359 890 571 951