Working on intermetallics (compounds of metals and metalloids), Anton Oliynyk synthesizes and characterizes novel compounds and their crystal structures. Synthesis involves high-temperature methods such as sintering, arc-melting, and metal flux growth. When new compounds form, powder and single crystal diffraction help us to study the structure and scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy confirms the composition of a novel compound.
The compounds are studied further with electronic structure calculations to learn more about the chemical bonding in our compounds. The characterization continues with mechanical property studies: compressive strength and hardness measurements, along with resonant ultrasound spectroscopy.
A specific focus in Oliynyk’s research is on uranium, thorium, and rare-earth intermetallics.
To guide the exploratory synthesis, Oliynyk uses machine-learning approaches to predict and systematize crystal structures of solids with classification. With regression, professor Oliynyk predicts the physical properties of solids. Every machine-learning model he publishes is experimentally validated.