The experience of undergraduate research
For me has thus far been great.
It's been the chance to explore different fields of interest,
And this summer my chance is with Dr. Sleight
My project is that of a Ta-V-P-0 system,
And I've been working on solid solutions
Between Tantalum Vanadate and Tantalum Phosphate
Which each have their own contributions.
TaOV04 and TaOP04 are my two end-members.
So my first goal is to use them and synthesize
Single phase structures with patterns
Of substitutions I will hopefully characterize.
There are three possibilities of this.
And so my second goal is to determine which is right,
In TaOPO4, the V could replace either the P or the Ta
And in TaOVO4, the P could substitute onto the V site.
TaOV04 shows properties of negative thermal expansion,
However, the Tantalum Phosphate does not.
And so my final goal is to investigate the effects of substitution
Whether it be nonexistent, hardly any, or a lot.
My trials have certainly been many.
I grind, heat, XRD, and repeat.
My results have helped me to discover what doesn't work,
But this complexity just makes the ending all the more sweet.
-Amy Chan
08/23/99