Ceramics- Intro and Phase Diagrams

Question 1

Applications of ceramics

Answer 1

Potteries, teeth replacements, nuclear fuels, building materials, joint replacements, electronic ceramics.

Question 2

4 main categories of ceramics

Answer 2

Whitewares- tableware, tiles, potteries, sanitary ware
Structural ceramics- bricks, pipes, floor, roof tiles
Refractories- kiln linings, gas fire radiants, steel and glas making crucibles
Technical ceramics- gas burner nozzles, ballistic protection, nuclear fuel, medical implants, coating of turbine blades, mechanical bearing

Question 3

Oxides that are ceramics

Answer 3

Alumina, ceria, zirconia

Question 4

Nonoxides that are ceramics

Answer 4

Carbide, boride, nitride, silicide

Question 5

Composites that are ceramics

Answer 5

Particulate reinforced, fibre reinforced, combination of oxides and non-oxides

Question 6

What are traditional ceramics?

Answer 6

Inorganic crystalline solids formed by the action of heat on earthy raw materials

Question 7

Thermal stability, mechanical properties, chemical durability, thermal conductivity and electrical properties of ceramics

Answer 7

High thermal stability. Strong but not ductile. High chemical durability. Low thermal conductivity. Most don’t conduct electricity but some do

Question 8

Key processes of standard ceramic processing

Answer 8

Mixing, drying, crushing and mixing, pressing, sintering, sample

Question 9

How to find fraction of a phase from a phase diagram

Answer 9

Use lever rule. Draw line between the two boundaries through the composition and temperature you are at on the diagram. Fraction of left phase is distance between point and right boundary over full length of line.

Question 10

What does small ss mean on a phase diagram?

Answer 10

Solid solution