Ceramics

Applications and Processing of Ceramics

• Ceramics are compounds between metallic and nonmetallic elements with ionic or predominantly ionic inter-atomic bonds.

• Ceramics exhibit physical properties that differ from those of metallic materials and complement them in service.

• Ceramics are classified as traditional ceramics (made from clay, silica, and feldspar) or engineering ceramics (made from highly pure compounds of Al2O3, SiC, and Si3N4).

• Glasses are a familiar group of ceramics containing non-crystalline silicates with specific responses to heating.

• Clay products include structural products (bricks, tiles, sewer pipes) and white-wares (porcelain, chinaware, pottery, etc.).

• Refractories are ceramics that withstand high temperatures and severe environments without melting or decomposing.

• Abrasive ceramics are used to grind, wear, or cut away other materials and require hardness, wear resistance, and refractoriness.

• Advanced ceramics have newly developed electrical, magnetic, and optical properties for specific applications.

• Ceramic powders are processed through milling/grinding, shaping, and consolidation (sintering or firing) to obtain the final product.

• Ceramic powder shaping techniques include compaction, tape casting, slip casting, injection molding, extrusion/hydro-plastic forming.

• Ceramic powder sintering is the firing process applied to green ceramics to increase its strength and densify it.

• Ceramics are known for their corrosion resistance due to their chemical inertness in corrosive environments.Challenges in Using Ceramics as Corrosion Resistant Structural Materials

• Ceramics are prone to chemical dissolution rather than electrochemical corrosion.

• Ceramics can degrade rapidly in certain environments.

• There is a need for reliable and corrosion-resistant structural ceramic materials.

• Beta-alumina is being investigated for high energy battery systems.

• SiC and composites are being investigated for use in heat exchangers.

• Ceramics are more environmentally stable than metals or plastics.

• The potential for ceramics as corrosion-resistant structural materials is not fully realized.

• One challenge is the mechanical non-reliability of structural ceramic components.

• Ceramic components can be brittle and prone to fracture.

• Ceramic composites can offer improved mechanical properties.

• Research is ongoing to develop more reliable and durable ceramic materials.

• Overcoming these challenges could lead to expanded use of ceramics in aggressive environments.

Applications and Processing of Ceramics

• Ceramics are compounds between metallic and nonmetallic elements with ionic or predominantly ionic inter-atomic bonds.

• Ceramics exhibit physical properties that differ from those of metallic materials and complement them in service.

• Ceramics are classified as traditional ceramics (made from clay, silica, and feldspar) or engineering ceramics (made from highly pure compounds of Al2O3, SiC, and Si3N4).

• Glasses are a familiar group of ceramics containing non-crystalline silicates with specific responses to heating.

• Clay products include structural products (bricks, tiles, sewer pipes) and white-wares (porcelain, chinaware, pottery, etc.).

• Refractories are ceramics that withstand high temperatures and severe environments without melting or decomposing.

• Abrasive ceramics are used to grind, wear, or cut away other materials and require hardness, wear resistance, and refractoriness.

• Advanced ceramics have newly developed electrical, magnetic, and optical properties for specific applications.

• Ceramic powders are processed through milling/grinding, shaping, and consolidation (sintering or firing) to obtain the final product.

• Ceramic powder shaping techniques include compaction, tape casting, slip casting, injection molding, extrusion/hydro-plastic forming.

• Ceramic powder sintering is the firing process applied to green ceramics to increase its strength and densify it.

• Ceramics are known for their corrosion resistance due to their chemical inertness in corrosive environments.Challenges in Using Ceramics as Corrosion Resistant Structural Materials

• Ceramics are prone to chemical dissolution rather than electrochemical corrosion.

• Ceramics can degrade rapidly in certain environments.

• There is a need for reliable and corrosion-resistant structural ceramic materials.

• Beta-alumina is being investigated for high energy battery systems.

• SiC and composites are being investigated for use in heat exchangers.

• Ceramics are more environmentally stable than metals or plastics.

• The potential for ceramics as corrosion-resistant structural materials is not fully realized.

• One challenge is the mechanical non-reliability of structural ceramic components.

• Ceramic components can be brittle and prone to fracture.

• Ceramic composites can offer improved mechanical properties.

• Research is ongoing to develop more reliable and durable ceramic materials.

• Overcoming these challenges could lead to expanded use of ceramics in aggressive environments.