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Thomas R. Shroutphoto-Tom Shrout

 

Professor of Materials

Senior Scientist

 

 

N-332 MSC Bldg.

Penn State University

University Park, PA 16802

Phone: (814) 865-1645

FAX: (814) 865-7173

E-mail: Thomas R. Shrout

Education:

 

  • Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University, 1981, (Ceramic Science)
  • B.S., The Pennsylvania State University, 1976, (Ceramic Science)

 

Research Interests:

 

  • Electronic ceramics
  • Processing and property relationships
  • Ferroelectric single crystal piezoelectric ceramics for use in multilayer actuators and high performance transducers
  • Dielectrics for high frequency microwave applications

 

Professor Shrout’s interests are in the areas of the preparation and characterization of electronic ceramics, with emphasis on processing property relationships in ferroelectrics. Specifically, he is active in exploring improved processing techniques to develop ferroelectric single crystal piezoelectrics and submicron piezoelectric ceramics for use in multilayer actuators and high performance ultrasound transducers. His work on crystallographic/domain engineered single crystal piezoelectrics was recognized by Industry Week as one of 25 Winning Technologies for 1997. Furthermore, 1-3 polymer/single crystal composites were recognized by the IEEE/UFFC as the Outstanding Paper of the Year Award for 2000. He holds 17 patents and has co-authored more than 250 papers. Dr. Shrout is a member of the IEEE-UFFC and a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society. He served as the co-technical chair of the International Symposium on Ferroelectrics (ISAF/1996); program chair (1997) and general chair (1999) of the US-Japan Seminar on Dielectric and Piezoelectric Ceramics; and co-chair of the Workshop on Fundamental Physics of Ferroelectrics (2005).

 

Technologies Impacted by Research:

 

  • High frequency microwave applications
  • Energy storage
  • High performance ultrasound transducers

 

Professional Experience:

 

1996-present Senior Scientist and Professor of Materials, Materials Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University
1991 to present Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of TRS Technologies, an electro-ceramic manufacturing corporation. TRS Technologies, which includes TRS Ceramics and Centre Capacitors, specializes in high performance dielectric and piezoelectric materials for the aerospace an medical markets, http://www.trstechnologies.com
1988-1996 Senior Research Associate and Associate Professor of Materials, Intercollege Materials Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University
1994 (February) Visiting Professor at the Department of Materials Science and Ceramic Technology, Shonan Institute of Technology, Tsujido–Nishikaigan, Fujisawa, Japan
1986-1988 Research Associate and Assistant Professor of Solid State Science, Materials Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University
1987 (March-April) Visiting Scientist at Plessey Research Laboratory, Caswell, Towester, U.K.
1985-1986 Member of Technical Staff, Corporate Research Laboratory, AVX Co., Myrtle Beach, SC
1983-1984 Senior Scientist, Central Research Laboratories, Sprague Electric Co., North Adams, MA
1981-1983 Research Associate, Materials Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University

 

Awards:

 

2007-2008 IEEE-UFFC Distinguished Lecturer
  Member of Industry and Innovation Class of World Academy of Ceramics
2006 Distinguished Alumni Award, The Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, Penn State University
2006 IEEE Ferroelectrics Recognition Award
2005 Ikeda Memorial Award in Ferroelectrics
2003 ISI Highly Cited Researcher in Materials Science (out of 214 Worldwide)

 

Selected Publications:

 

  1. S.J. Zhang, T.R. Shrout, H. Nagata, Y. Hiruma, and T. Takenaka, “Piezoelectric Properties in (K0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-(Na0.55Bi0.5)TiO3-BaTiO3 Lead Free Ceramics,” IEEE Trans. Ultra. Ferro. Freq. Control 54 (2007).
  2. T.R. Shrout and S.J. Zhang, “Lead-free Piezoelectric Ceramics: Alternatives for PZT?,” J. Electroceramics (2007) DOI 10.1007/s10832-007-9047-0.
  3. N.J. Donnelly, T.R. Shrout, C.A. Randall, “Addition of a Sr, K, Nb (SKN) Combination of PZT (53/47) for High Strain Applications,” J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 90 (2), 490–495 (Feb. 2007).
  4. S.J. Zhang, R. Xia, T.R. Shrout, G.Z. Zang, and J.F. Wang, “Characterization of Lead Free (K0.5Na0.5)NgO3-LiSbO3 Piezoceramic,” Solid State Communication 141, 675, (March 2007).
  5. B. Rangarajan, B. Jones, T. Shrout, and M. Lanagan, “Barium/Lead-Rich High Permittivity Glass-Ceramics for Capacitor Applications,” J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 90 ( 3), 784–788 (March 2007).