Contact Information

Biography

Prior to my appointment at Duquesne University, I held a postdoctoral appointment at Oklahoma State University. I also held visiting positions at Universitӓt des Saarlandes, Saarbrücken, University of California, Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon University.

My field of expertise is experimental condensed matter physics, where it meets with Materials Science. I am interested in investigations of the structure-property relationships relevant to rational construction of new magnetic materials. For this purpose I use laser pulses and particle beams to obtain amorphous and nanocrystalline magnetic materials with controlled properties, such as controlled magnetic anisotropy. I also investigate mixed oxide nanoparticles to document the onset of solid solutions by mechanochemical activation at the nanoparticle scale. Most recently, I investigated the behavior of graphene during milling with ferrite nanoparticles. The investigation techniques that I use are Mӧssbauer spectroscopy, magnetic measurements, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and thermal analysis. These can be observed in my latest book, "Recent applications of the Mӧssbauer effect", published by Dorrance Publishing Company (2020).

The funding received from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Petroleum Research Fund and Research Corporation made it possible to mentor over 30 students and 3 postdoctoral researchers.

Education

  • Ph.D., Experimental Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Atomic Physics Bucharest, 1992
  • M.S., Solid State Physics, University of Bucharest, 1986
  • B.S., Physics, University of Bucharest, 1985

Expertise

  • Amorphous and nanocrystalline magnetic materials
  • Magnetic thin films and multilayers
  • Mixed-oxide nanoparticles
  • Pulsed laser deposition
  • Mossbauer spectroscopy, magnetic measurements, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, thermal analysis



 

Profile Information

Courses taught:
General Physics I and II
Mathematical Methods in Physics
General Analytical Physics I, II and III
Modern Physics
Quantum Mechanics
Physics for Life Sciences I and II
Funding:
Over $1.2 million in funding from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society, and Research Corporation

Publications:
Over 150 peer-reviewed journal publications
Over 50 conference proceedings papers
Over 50 presentations at professional meetings and invited talks

  1. M. Knauss, F.Tolea, M. Valeanu, L. Diamandescu, R. Trotta, K. Wood, A. Grabias and M. Sorescu, "Mechanochemical synthesis and characterization of molybdenum dioxide-hematite nanostructures with different molarities", Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering 6, 6 (2018) 587-600.
  2. A. Perrin, M. Sorescu, V. Ravi, D. Laughlin and M. McHenry, "Mӧssbauer analysis of compositional tuning of magnetic exchange interactions in high-entropy alloys", AIP Advances 9, 3 (2019) .
  3. M. Sorescu and M. Allwes, "Behavior of graphite and graphene under mechanochemical activation with hematite and magnetite nanoparticles", MRS Advances 4, 3-4 (2019) 155-162.
  4. M. Sorescu and K. Byerly, "Nanocrystallization and recoilless fraction determination of Fe68.5Co5Nb3Cu1Si15.5B7 ferromagnetic alloy", MRS Advances 4, 25-26 (2019) 1449-1455.
  • Faculty Development Award, Duquesne University (1996).
  • Cottrell College Science Award, Research Corporation (1996).
  • Presidential Scholarship Award, Duquesne University (1996).
  • International Prize of the Romanian Academy of Sciences (1997).
  • Presidential Scholarship Award, Duquesne University (1999).
  • Faculty Excellence Award for Scholarship, BSNES (2000).
  • Faculty Excellence Award for Scholarship, BSNES (2012).
  • Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Duquesne University (2012).