![Professor Abbie McLaughlin Professor Abbie McLaughlin](/img/200x200/staffpages/uploads/che643/ACM_photo_2.jpg)
BSc (Durham), PhD (Cambridge)
Personal Chair
- About
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- Email Address
- a.c.mclaughlin@abdn.ac.uk
- Telephone Number
- +44 (0)1224 272924
- Office Address
Meston Room G23
- School/Department
- School of Natural and Computing Sciences
Biography
Professor Abbie Mclaughlin is currently a chair in inorganic chemistry at the University of Aberdeen. Her expertise lies in the synthesis and study of transition metal oxides with fascinating electrical and magnetic properties. This includes discovery of novel exotic magnetic and electronic materials and novel electrolytes for application in ceramic fuel cells. She is particularly interested in structure-property relationships and determining design rules to improve a specific property.
She has published ~ 80 papers (h-index 23, Google Scholar) on the study of transition metal oxides using structural (powder diffraction) and physical (magnetic and conductivity) measurements. She has secured over £2.5M research funding from sources such as EPSRC, the Leverhulme Trust, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Society. She has been awarded > 200 days of neutron diffraction and synchrotron X-ray diffraction beamtime at the large-scale facilities of ISIS and Diamond, Didcot and the ILL and ESRF, Grenoble.
She is a member of the EPSRC college and serves on the EPSRC Physical Sciences panel. She has previously served on ISIS, ILL and Oakridge facility access panels.
Memberships and Affiliations
- Internal Memberships
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Professor Mclaughlin is currently Head of the Department of Chemistry.
- External Memberships
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FRSC
Prizes and Awards
2021 University of Aberdeen Excellence Award - Outstanding Research Awards: Individuals Further Stage of Career – STEM.
2020-2021 Leverhulme Trust research fellowship.
2006-2009 Leverhulme Trust early career fellowship.
2003-2006 Royal Society of Edinburgh, SEELLD personal research fellowship.
- Research
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Research Overview
Solid state materials are of fundamental importance due to the plethora of exciting physical properties that have been detected and applied in technological applications. We are interested in synthesising novel materials that exhibit fascinating electrical (ionic conducting) or magnetic properties.
Rietveld refinement of crystallographic models from X-ray and Neutron powder diffraction data (at facilities such as ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, UK and the ESRF and ILL, Grenoble, France) are used in order to correlate the structure-property relationships in the novel synthesised compounds which enable us to tune the properties of our materials.
Research Expertise
Solid state synthesis
Rietveld refinement of crystallographic models from X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data
Characterisation of ionic conductors via impedance spectroscopy
Characterisation of superinsulators
Electronic and magnetic characterisation of novel oxides and pnictides
Magnetic structure determination
Research Facilities
A suite of high temperature tube and box furnaces (up to 1600 oC) for solid state synthesis
Two top of the range diffractometers (Panalytical X’Pert Powder and Empyrean powder diffractometers)
Variable temperature impedance jig coupled to a Solartron SI 1260 Impedance/Gain-Phase Analyser
Stanton Redcroft TG/DTA
Departmental access to a Mettler Toledo TGA 2 coupled with a Hiden Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer
Departmental access to a Carl Zeiss Gemini SEM 300 to determine the microstructures of samples in addition to EDX measurements
Research Areas
Accepting PhDs
I am currently accepting PhDs in Chemistry.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your research ideas further.
Research Specialisms
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Chemistry
Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
Current Research
Oxide Ion Conductors
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are electrochemical devices able to generate electricity from renewable energy sources, with high efficiency and low emissions of pollutants. However, oxide ion transport in most commercially available solid electrolytes is enabled only at high working temperatures (> 700 °C), thus making the commercialization of SOFCs particularly challenging. The high operating temperature reduces the components’ durability, results in slow start up times and the necessitation of expensive materials for seals and interconnects. In order to overcome these issues, it is desirable to develop novel electrolyte materials with significant oxide ion conductivity at intermediate temperatures (300 – 600 °C). Ionic conduction in solid oxides is strongly related to the crystal structure, and as a result the discovery and characterization of novel oxide ion conductors in various structural families has attained significant attention from researchers. We have been investigating hexagonal perovskites Ba3M’M’’O8.5 (M’M’’ = VW, NbMo, NbW) which exhibit highly disordered crystal structures and state-of-the art conductivity. We are currently interested in synthesising new materials with different combinations of M’M’’ to see how the chemistry controls the ionic conductivity.
Mixed Proton/Oxide Ion Conductors
We are also interested in mixed ion conductors, specifically mixed oxide-ion and proton-conductors. Such dual ion conductors have been proposed as a new class of electrolyte for intermediate temperature ceramic fuel cells, as they exhibit low ohmic resistance without external gas humidification. We have been investigating the electrical and structural properties of Ba7Nb4MoO20, a cation-deficient 7H hexagonal perovskite derivative formed by an intergrowth of palmierite layers and 12R perovskite blocks. Ba7Nb4MoO20 supports remarkable oxide ion and proton conductivity with excellent chemical and electrical stability over a range of pO2. The ionic conduction properties of Ba7Nb4MoO20 are linked to its distinct disordered crystal structure. Ba7Nb4MoO20 supports pure ionic conduction with high proton and oxide ion conductivity at 510 °C (the bulk conductivity is 4.0 mS cm-1) and hence is an exceptional candidate for application as a dual-ion solid electrolyte in a ceramic fuel cell which will combine the advantages of both oxide ion and proton conducting electrolytes. We are currently performing chemical doping studies to further enhance the conductivity.
Magnetic Materials
The recent report of high temperature superconductivity in oxypnictides such as LnFeAsO1-xFx with superconducting transition temperatures (Tcs) up to 55 K has led to a rapid expansion in the research of oxypnictide materials. We have recently discovered the counterpart, colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) in Mn2+ based oxypnictides NdMnAsO1-xFx, so that both manifestations of correlated electronic behaviour are now found in these new materials. Colossal magnetoresistant materials exhibit a large change (> 90%) in their electronic resistivity upon application of a magnetic field and have application as magnetoresistive sensors and spintronic devices in which electron spins are used to process information. We are currently investigating more complex cation ordered oxypnictides such as Sr2Mn2CrAs2O2 which exhibit spin reorientation magnetic transitions upon cooling which may show coupling between magnetic and electronic degrees of freedom.
Funding and Grants
We have had funding from a range of sources including EPSRC, the Leverhulme Trust, Institut Laue Langevin, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, Chief Scientist Office and the Royal Society.
If you’re interested in joining the group as a PhD student, please email a.c.mclaughlin@abdn.ac.uk.
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
Dr Mclaughlin teaches the following courses:
- CM1022 Elements of Chemistry
- CM2519 Solids
- CM2012 Electrical Materials
- CM3037 Transition Metal Chemistry
- CM4026 Lanthanides and actidnides
- CM5003 Magnets, metals and superconductors
- Publications
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Page 3 of 4 Results 51 to 75 of 78
Materials and methods for medical imaging
Patents: PatentsAM-6: a microporous one-dimensional ferromagnet
Dalton Transactions, no. 38, pp. 8025-8032Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/b908099f
Spin, orbital and lattice coupling in the double perovskite Ba 2 154SmMoO6
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference Proceedings- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Neutron diffraction study of the magnetic structure of the superconducting Ru-1222-type ruthenocuprate RuSr2Y1.5Ce0.5Cu2O10-δ: Evidence for long-range antiferromagnetic order
Physical Review B Condensed Matter and Materials Physics , vol. 78, no. 9, 094501Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.78.094501
Induced antiferromagnetism and large magnetoresistance in RuSr2(Nd,Y,Ce)2Cu2O10-d ruthenocuprates
Physical Review B Condensed Matter and Materials Physics , vol. 76, no. 9, 094514Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVB.76.094514
A variable field neutron study of the negative magnetoresistive ruthenocuprate RuSr2Nd0.9Y0.2Ce0.9Cu2O10−δ
Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, vol. 310, no. 2 Part 3, pp. 1961-1962Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmmm.2006.10.875
Enhancement of Large Magnetoresistances in Ruthenocuprates by Ta substitution
Chemical Communications, vol. 2007, no. 22, pp. 2273-2274Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/b617872c
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Defect structure of ferromagnetic superconducting RuSr2GdCu2O8
Physical Review B Condensed Matter and Materials Physics , vol. 73, no. 22, 224524Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.73.224524
Magnetic and structural studies of the double perovskites Ba2REMoO6
Solid State Communications, vol. 137, pp. 354-357Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssc.2005.12.011
Chemical tuning of positive and negative magnetoresistances and superconductivity in 1222-type ruthenocuprates
Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 128, pp. 12364-12365Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/JA064778H
Ethylenediamine manganese (II) selenite, (H2NCH2CH2NH2)0.5MnSeO3: a new hybrid inorganic/organic network containing MnO5N octahedra and SeO3 pyramids
Inorganic Chemistry Communications, vol. 9, pp. 785-787Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inoche.2006.05.004
High pressure neutron diffraction study of the magnetoresistive 1222-type ruthenocuprate, RuSr2Nd0.9Y0.2Ce0.9Cu2O10
Materials Research Bulletin, vol. 41, pp. 1001-1007Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.materresbull.2006.01.009
Doping studies of the magnetic cobaltocuprate CoSr2Y2-xCexCu2O9
Journal of Solid State Chemistry, vol. 178, pp. 2274-2281Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2005.05.002
Negative lattice expansion from the superconductivity-antiferromagnetism crossover in ruthenium copper oxides
Nature, vol. 436, pp. 829-832Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03828
Magnetic interactions on the tin sites in the tin-doped ferromagnetic superconductor Ru1-xSnxSr2GdCu2O8
Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, vol. 16, pp. 955-961Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/16/6/022
Studies of microstructure and ruthenium valence in the ruthenocuprates Pb2RuSr2Cu2O8Cl and (Ru, M)Sr2GdCu2O8 (M = Sn, Nb)
Journal of Solid State Chemistry, vol. 177, pp. 834-838Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2003.09.016
Magnetotransport properties of doped RuSr2GdCu2O8
Physical Review B Condensed Matter and Materials Physics , vol. 68, no. 6, pp. -Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.68.064514
Chemical control of hole-doped superconductivity and magnetism in Gd2-xCexRuSr2Cu2O10-delta
Physical Review B Condensed Matter and Materials Physics , vol. 68, no. 1, pp. 14503-14509Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.68.014503
Structure and magnetism of the layered ruthenocuprate Pb2RuSr2Cu2O8Cl
Physical Review B Condensed Matter and Materials Physics , vol. 65, no. 17, pp. 172506-172509Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.65.172506
A Cyclic Hexacopper (II) fluoro Complex that Encapsulates Two Flouride Anions
Chemical Communications, pp. 2978-2979Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/b207923m
The Synthesis, Structure and Magnetic Properties of Pb2RuSr2Cu2O8Cl, a New Layered Ruthenocuprate
Solid State Sciences, vol. 4, pp. 431-436Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1293-2558(02)01271-2
The synthesis, structure and physical properties of the layered ruthenocuprates RuSr2GdCu2O8 and Pb2Sr2Cu2RuO8Cl
Ruthenate and Rutheno-Cuprate Materials: Unconventional Superconductivity, Magnetism and Quantum Phase Transitions. Noce, C., Vecchione, A., Cuoco, M., Romano, A. (eds.). Springer, pp. 160-175, 16 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters (Peer-Reviewed)- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45814-X_11
Doping Studies of the Ferromagnetic Superconductor RuSr2GdCu2O8
Journal of Materials Chemistry, vol. 11, pp. 173-178Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/b002952l
A variable temperature structural study of the ferromagnetic superconductor RuSr2GdCu2O8
International Journal of Inorganic Materials, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 95-99Contributions to Journals: ArticlesChemical tuning of ferromagnetism and superconductivity in RuSr2GdCu2O8
Chemical Communications, no. 14, pp. 1331-1332Contributions to Journals: Articles