Emeritus Professor Tim Button

School of Metallurgy and Materials
Professor of Functional Materials and Devices

Contact details

Telephone: (+44) (0) 121 414 5237
Fax: (+44) (0) 121 414 7468
Email: t.w.button@bham.ac.uk

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Address: School of Metallurgy and Materials
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Qualifications

PhD in Materials Science & Technology, Bradford, 1983
BTech in Materials Science & Technology, Bradford, 1978

Research

Research Interests Include:

Microstructural and property development in functional ceramics
Fabrication and processing techniques for ceramic materials
Influence of processing on the properties and performance of functional materials
Application of high temperature superconductor materials
Fabrication of ceramic components to "net shape"
Novel piezoelectric sensor and actuator devices
High Frequency ultrasonic transducers
Co-processing of multi-phase ceramic systems and components

Current Sponsored Research Projects:

Ultrasonic arrays for ultrahigh resolution real time biomedical imaging (EPSRC)
Novel Dielectric Resonator Structures and Metamaterials (EPSRC)
Smart X-ray Optics (EPSRC Basic Technologies, www.SmartXrayOptics.org )
Preparation and characterization of sodium transition metal oxides as thermoelectric materials (University)
Colloidal Processing of net shape ceramics and intermetallics (Portuguese Government)
Synthesis and Fabrication of Nanostructured Ceramics for Device Applications (ORS)
Oxide thin films for tuneable microwave devices (Royal Society)
Multilayer Coated Conductors (EPSRC/Coated Conductor Consultancy).
Fabrication Routes for Fine-Scale Piezoelectric Devices. (EPSRC)
Passive materials for use in high frequency ultrasonic transducers. (EPSRC)

Other activities

Managing Director of Applied Functional Materials Ltd (www.afm-ltd.com), University spin-out company.

Publications

Selected Publications:

2018

Shu, C., Reed, D. & Button, T. (2018), A phase diagram of Ba1-xCaxTiO3 (x = 0-0.30) piezoceramics by Raman spectroscopy, Journal of the American Ceramic Society. 5 p.

2016

Button, T., Jiang, Y., Meggs, C., Rodriguez Sanmartin, D., Zhang, Y., Qiu, Z., Mcphillips, R., Mahboob, S. O., Wang, H., Duncan, R., Schiavone, G., Eisma, R., Desmulliez, M., Eljamel, S., Cochran, S. & Demore, C. (2016), Dual orientation 16-MHz single-element ultrasound needle transducers for image-guided neurosurgical intervention, IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control.

2015

Liu, G., Attallah, M. M., Loretto, M., Herny, E., Jiang, Y. & Button, T. (2015), Gel casting of sialon ceramics based on water soluble epoxy resin, Ceramics International. 41, 9, p. 11534-11538 5 p.
Bai, Y., Matousek, A., Tofel, P., Bijalwan, V., Nan, B., Hughes, H. & Button, T. (2015), (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics – the critical role of processing on properties, Journal of the European Ceramic Society. 35, 13, p. 3445-3456.

2014

Bai, Y., Meggs, C. & Button, T. (2014), Investigation of Using Free-Standing Thick-Film Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters to Develop Wideband Devices, International Journal of Structural Stability and Dynamics. 14, 08, 12 p., 1440016.
Liu, G., Attallah, M. M., Jiang, Y. & Button, T. (2014), Rheological characterization and shape control in gel-casting of nano-sized zirconia powders, Ceramics International. 40, 9 PART A, p. 14405-144128 p.
Zeb, A., Bai, Y., Button, T. & Milne, S. J. (2014), Temperature-Stable Relative Permittivity from −70°C to 500°C in (Ba0.8 Ca0.2)TiO3 - Bi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3 -NaNbO3 Ceramics, Journal of the American Ceramic Society. 97, 8, p. 2479-2483 5 p.

2012

García-gancedo, L., Olhero, S. M., Alves, F. J., Ferreira, J. M. F., Demoré, C. E. M., Cochran, S. & Button, T. W. (2012), Application of gel-casting to the fabrication of 1–3 piezoelectric ceramic–polymer composites for high-frequency ultrasound devices, Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering. 22, 12, p. 125001.
Olhero, S. M., Garcia-Gancedo, L., Button, T., Alves, F. J. & Ferreira, J. M. F. (2012), Innovative fabrication of PZT pillar arrays by a colloidal approach, Journal of the European Ceramic Society. 32, 5, p. 1067-1075 9 p.

2011

Zhang, D., Rodriguez Sanmartin, D., Button, T., Atkins, C., Brooks, D., Doel, P., Dunare, C., Feldman, C., James, A., Michette, A., Parkes, W., Pfauntsch, S., Sahraei, S., Stevenson, T., Wang, H. & Willingale, R. (2011), Development of piezoelectric actuators for active X-ray optics, Journal of Electroceramics. 27, 1, p. 1-6 6 p.
Zhou, K., Zhang, Y., Zhang, D., Zhang, X., Li, Z., Liu, G. & Button, T. (2011), Porous hydroxyapatite ceramics fabricated by an ice-templating method, Scripta Materialia. 64, 5, p. 426-429 4 p.
Liu, G., Jiang, Y. & Button, T. (2011), Low Temperature Sintering and Dielectric Properties of BaTiO3 Ceramics Incorporating Nano-Sized Powders , Ferroelectrics. 421, p. 72-81 10 p.

2010

Clipsham, T. J. & Button, T. (2010), 1-3 Piezocomposites realised from small feature size, high aspect ratio, hot embossed moulds. Part I. Mould development, Microsystem Technologies. 16, 11, p. 1975-1981 7 p.
Clipsham, T. J. & Button, T. (2010), 1-3 Piezocomposites realised from small feature size, high aspect ratio, hot embossed moulds. Part II: piezocomposite fabrication, Microsystem Technologies. 16, 11, p. 1983-1988 6 p.
Al Khatiab, S., Button, T. & Abell, J. (2010), Spray pyrolysis of MgO templates on Hastelloy C276 and 310-austenitic stainless steel substrates for YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) deposition by pulsed laser deposition, Superconductor Science & Technology. 23, 9, p. 095001 1 p.
Benmerah, S., Yang, C. P., Smith, P. & Button, T. (2010), Dielectric spiral resonators, Electronics Letters. 46, 9, p. 608-U21.
Liu, G., Zhang, D., Meggs, C. & Button, T. (2010), Porous Al2O3-ZrO2 composites fabricated by an ice template method, Scripta Materialia. 62, 7, p. 466-468 3 p.
Sanmartin, D. R., Zhang, D., Button, T., Meggs, C., Atkins, C., Doel, P., Brooks, D., Feldman, C., Willingale, R., James, A., Willis, G. & Smith, A. (2010), Development of net-shape piezoelectric actuators for large X-ray optics, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. 7803, 78030M.
Sanmartin, D. R., Zhang, D., Button, T., Meggs, C., Atkins, C., Doel, P., Brooks, D., Feldman, C., Willingale, R., Michette, A., Pfauntsch, S., Sahraei, S., Shand, M., James, A., Willis, G., Dunare, C., Stevenson, T., Parkes, W. & Smith, A. (2010), Development of spider micro-structured optical arrays for X-ray optics, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. 7803, 780306.
Zhang, D., Button, T., Sherman, V. O., Tagantsev, A. K., Price, T. & Iddles, D. (2010), Effects of glass additions on the microstructure and dielectric properties of barium strontium titanate (BST) ceramics, Journal of the European Ceramic Society. p. 407-412 6 p.
Liu, G., Zhang, D. & Button, T. (2010), Preparation of concentrated barium titanate suspensions incorporating nano-sized powders, Journal of the European Ceramic Society. p. 171-176 6 p.
Zhou, T., Zhang, D., Button, T., Berry, F. & Greaves, C. (2010), Substitution effects on the structural and magnetic behaviour of Na0.63CoO2, Dalton Transactions. 39, 4, p. 1089-1094 6 p.

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