MP4F01

MATERIALS ENGINEERING
ENGINEERING CERAMICS Lecture #1

K.A. KHOR
School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering NTU

Engineering Ceramics
What are advanced engineering ceramics? Fine powder synthesis Ceramics forming and consolidation techniques Surface coatings techniques Zirconia-based ceramics and applications

TRADITIONAL CERAMICS

Large grains, multiple components and conventional processes

Traditional ceramic forming

Firing of traditional ceramics in kilns

RAW MATERIALS FOR CERAMICS

Available naturally and often have to be mined.

Raw materials from minerals that are crushed and milled

INDUSTRIAL CERAMICS

Engineering Ceramics

WHAT ARE CERAMICS?

The term 'ceramics' comes from keramos, the
ancient Greek word for objects made of fired clay or 'burnt stuff. Traditional ceramics include 'brick-making', 'pottery' and 'glassmaking'.

ENGINEERING CERAMICS

Definition: Any class of inorganic, nonmetallic

products -subjected to high temperature during manufacture. Typically, but not exclusively, a ceramic is a metallic oxide, boride, carbide or nitride, or a mixture or compound of such materials; it includes anions that play important roles in the molecular structures and properties. [American Ceramic Society]

Engineering Ceramics

Essentially, ceramic materials are inorganic, nonmetallic materials which consist of metallic (e.g. Ti, Si, Cr, Zr, Al etc) and nonmetallic (e.g. B, N,O C) elements bonded together primarily by ionic and/or covalent bonds.

In general, ceramic materials are typically hard and brittle with low toughness and ductility.

Engineering Ceramics

What differentiate ceramics from metals and

polymers?
The difference lie in chemical bonding.
Almost all ceramics are compounds of the electropositive

and electronegative elements of the periodic table.

Mostly the bonding is ionic, but in a few cases, covalent

or metallic bonding occurs

CERAMICS: ITS PLACE AMONG ENGINEERING MATERIALS

Engineering Ceramics

Common features of these materials are : High heat resistance Electrically insulating or semi-conducting with

various magnetic and dielectric properties

Strong resistance to deformation, brittle fracture

Relatively low toughness

Engineering Ceramics

WHAT ARE ADVANCED CERAMICS ? Generally, ceramic materials used for engineering applications can be divided into two groups : traditional ceramic materials and the advanced ceramic materials.

Engineering Ceramics

Typically, traditional ceramics are made from three basic components : clay, silica (flint), and feldspar.

Examples of traditional ceramics are bricks and

tiles used in the construction industries and

electrical porcelain.

Engineering Ceramics

Advanced ceramics consist of pure compounds such as aluminium oxide (Al203), silicon carbide (SiC), and silicon nitride (Si3N4). Classified due to the specialized functions exhibited. Cannot be obtained by simply pressing and sintering unrefined raw materials. Necessary to synthesize ceramics using highly refined raw materials, rigorously controlled composition, and strictly regulated forming and sintering.

Contrast between traditional ceramics and advanced ceramics

ADVANCED CERAMICS
Aerospace applications

ADVANCED CERAMICS

High temperature applications

ADVANCED CERAMICS

net shape high hardness hard to machine tailored properties WC, Ti(C,N), ZrO2, tool steel

ADVANCED CERAMICS

ADVANCED CERAMICS
Bearings and sleeves

Ceramic knife

ADVANCED CERAMICS

HA [Ca10 (PO4)6 (OH)2]

Suitable for bone substitution and reconstruction

Hasten bone ingrowth High tissue compatibility

Applications

Dental & orthopaedic prostheses Spinal surgery Bone space fillers Hips & knees replacements

Strategic Parts of Body being explored for Orthopedic and Dental Applications

Ceramic Dental Implants

ADVANCED CERAMICS
Watches Fountain Pens Jewelry Cutlery

THERMAL SPRAY COATING PROCESS

THERMAL SPRAY TECHNIQUE - HVOF

Stages in Ceramic Powder Processing

Engineering Ceramics

HOW IS CERAMIC POWDER SYNTHESIZED ? Traditional ceramics like porcelain, refractories and claywares are made from crushed natural minerals. Advanced ceramics: 3 general categories
Liquid Vapour Solid

ENGINEERING CERAMICS
General accepted requirements for the starting powders are: small, spherical, and unaggregated particles with a

narrow size distribution

and to have a controlled

chemical composition.

SUMMARY OF LECTURE #1

WHAT ARE CERAMICS ? Ceramic materials are inorganic, nonmetallic materials which consist of metallic (e.g. Ti, Si, Cr, Zr, Al etc) and nonmetallic (e.g. B, N,O C) elements bonded together primarily by ionic and/or covalent bonds e.g. Al2O3, SiC, TiB2, TiN

ENGINEERING CERAMICS

Common features of these materials are : high heat resistance

electrically insulating or semiconducting with various magnetic

and dielectric properties

strong resistance to deformation,

brittle fracture

relatively low toughness