This proposal requests renewal of a previously approved and active research project "INDO-US Collaborative Research on Novel Oxide Materials." The collaborators are C.N.R. Rao, Professor, Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and J.M. Honig, Materials Research Center, Purdue University. The research will continue development of novel oxide materials with special attention to high temperature superconductors. The research includes synthesis of interesting oxide systems and examination of structure-property relations. Included are selected studies of high Tc 214-oxide superconductors with the K2NiF4 structure and related normal properties of this class of materials. Scope: The collaboration of Professor Rao's team at Bangalore and Professor Honig's team at Purdue has been successful and resulted in a number of significant publications. Rao is one of India's most distinguished scientists. He has done pioneering research in numerous areas of materials and structural chemistry. It is likely that this project will result in significant advances in the field of new materials and better material characterization. Dr. Honig is a participant in a newly established Indiana Center for Innovative Superconductivity Technology, which was provided $500,000 for the first year of operation by the State of Indiana. His work with Dr. Rao would fit well with the objectives of that center, and with enhancing materials science research in the U.S.
