EMA5646 Ceramic Processing

Course Information

Introduction to the science and engineering of ceramic processing, with emphasis on theoretical fundamentals and current state-of-the-art processing

Course Objective

The main objective of EMA5646 Ceramic Processing is to introduce principles and engineering practices of conventional as well as new, unconventional processing techniques for ceramics, especially advanced technical ceramics and glass materials

Contents Covered

  • Ceramic powder synthesis, processing, and characterizations
  • Additives used in ceramic processing
  • Ceramic green body formation and characterization
  • Thermal processing of ceramics
  • Post firing processing of ceramics

Course Syllabus

SYLLABUS for EMA 5646 Ceramic Processing

Lecture Slides & Videos

Lecture slides (PDF) Section No. Lecture videos on YouTube w/ closed captions (CC) Additional Resources
Lecture 1  Course Introduction L1-01 Textbook Instructor Website  
L1-02 Policy Grading Objectives  
L1-03 What are ceramics  
L1-04 Traditional ceramics and glasses  
L1-05 Ceramics for mechanical applications  
L1-06 Ceramics for thermal applications  
L1-07 Functional ceramics  
L1-08 Ceramics atomic and micro structures  
L1-09 Ceramic processing and materials tetrahedron  
L1-10 Overview and tentative schedule  
L1-11 Mini-proposal guideline  
L1-12 No plagiarism  
Lecture 2  Powder Preparation L2-01 Introduction to powder preparation  
L2-02 Raw materials  
L2-03 Powder preparation methods  
L2-04 Mechanical milling  
L2-05 Mechanochemical synthesis  
L2-06 Solid state reaction  
L2-07 Solution precipitation  
L2-08 Solvent removal  
L2-09 Gel routes  
L2-10 Vapor phase reactions  
L2-11 Thermodynamics vs kinetics  
L2-12 Lab safety  
Lecture 3  Powder Characterization L3-01 Introduction to powder characterizations  
L3-02 Composition analysis techniques  
L3-03 XRD phase analysis  
L3-04 Elemental analysis techniques  
L3-05 Depth profiling  
L3-06 Electron based and other composition analysis techniques  
L3-07 Particles and their classifications  
L3-08 Particles size and size distribution PSD  
L3-09 Particles size analysis techniques  
L3-10 Powder surface area and porosity introduction  
L3-11 Surface area and porosity from gas adsorption introduction  
L3-12 Measurement of gas adsorption isotherms  
L3-13 Gas adsorption isotherm classification and example  
L3-14 Langmuir adsorption isotherm  
L3-15 BET adsorption isotherm and BET surface area  
L3-16 Pore analysis from gas adsorption  
L3-17 From gas adsorption isotherm to pore size distribution  
L3-18 Specific pore volume and porosity from gas adsorption  
L3-19 Pore analysis by mercury porosimetry  
L3-20 Porosity from pycnometry  
Lecture 4  Additives L4-01 Introduction and classification for ceramic processing additives  
L4-02 Solvents  
L4-03 Dispersant introduction  
L4-04 Surfactant as dispersant  
L4-05 Polymer as dispersant  
L4-06 Ions and molecules as dispersant  
L4-07 Binders  
L4-08 Coagulants  
L4-09 Plasticizers introduction  
L4-10 Polymer melting point Tm and glass transition temperature Tg  
L4-11 Polymer elastic modulus vs temperature  
L4-12 Plasticizer effect on polymer Tg  
L4-13 Other additives  
Lecture 5  Colloidal Processing L5-01 Introduction to colloidal processing  
L5-02 Van der Waals forces between particles  
L5-03 3 ways to stabilize colloidal suspensions  
L5-04 3 ways to develop particle surface charges  
L5-05 Point of zero charge PZC  
L5-06 Electrical double layer EDL over particle surface in solutions  
L5-07 Debye length and repulsion between particles  
L5-08 Surface potential and surface charge density  
L5-09 Electrostatically stabilized colloids  
L5-10 Debye length examples  
L5-11 Electrophoresis, mobility and zeta potential  
L5-12 Stern model for EDL and zeta potential  
L5-13 Al2O3 TiO2 AgI colloids zeta potentials – ionic strength effect  
L5-14 Colloids isoelectrical point IEP  
L5-15 Zeta potential on green structure examples of SiO2 Al2O3  
L5-16 Colloids steric stabilization by polymer adsorption and repulsion  
L5-17 Polymer coverage of particles – concentration, MW, and solvent effects  
L5-18 Unadsorbed polymer effect in colloidal solutions  
L5-19 Polymer coverage, MW, and solvent effects on colloid steric stabilization  
L5-20 Colloid electrosteric stabilization by polyelectrolyte adsorption  
L5-21 Rheology of colloidal suspensions  
L5-22 Newtonian and non Newtonian behaviors in rheology  
L5-23 Zeta potential effect on colloidal suspension rheology  
L5-24 Polymer adsorption MW solvent effects on colloid rheology  
L5-25 Polyelectrolyte effect on colloid rheology  
L5-26 Solid loading effect on colloid rheology  
L5-27 Particle shape and size effects on colloid rheology  
Lecture 6  Green Body Formation L6-01 Introduction to green body formation  
L6-02 Green body formation methods  
L6-03 Regular packing of monosized spheres  
L6-04 Random packing of monosized particles  
L6-05 Random packing of bimodal spheres  
L6-06 Random packing of bimodal nonspheres  
L6-07 Packing of practical powders  
L6-08 Mechanical compaction  
L6-09 Powders vs granules for mechanical compaction  
L6-10 Die compaction – pressure effects  
L6-11 Die compaction – powder size distribution effect  
L6-12 Die compaction – granule hardness effects  
L6-13 Die compaction – die powder interaction effects  
L6-14 Release from die and defects in mechanical compaction  
L6-15 Isostatic pressing  
L6-16 Casting for green body formation  
L6-17 Slip casting  
L6-18 Tape casting  
L6-19 Other casting techniques  
L6-20 Plastic forming by extrusion and injection molding  
L6-21 Drying after casting or plastic formation  
L6-22 Binder removal from green bodies  
L6-23 Green body characterization  
Lecture 7  Sintering L7-01 Introduction to sintering  
L7-02 Pressureless sintering setups  
L7-03 Monitoring of sintering by density and dilatometry  
L7-04 Isothermal vs constant heating rate sintering  
L7-05 Multi stage heating schedules for sintering  
L7-06 Constant heating rate sintering  
L7-07 Atmosphere effects on sintering  
L7-08 Other sintering techniques  
L7-09 Hot pressing HP  
L7-10 Hot isostatic pressing HIP HIP intro video by Isostatic Pressing Association

Equipment considerations

Metal HIP w a metal capsule by Bodycote

HIP w/ rapid cooling by Quintus

L7-11 Microwave sintering  
L7-12 Spark plasma sintering SPS  
L7-13 Flash sintering FS  
L7-14 Classification and microstructural evolution in sintering  
L7-15 Driving force for coarsening vs sintering  
L7-16 Necessary condition for densification  
L7-17 Grain size and pore size evolution in sintering  
L7-18 Vapor pressure and vacancy concentration in sintering  
L7-19 Mass transport mechanisms determine densification vs coarsening  
L7-20 Sintering kinetics  
L7-21 Coarsening and grain growth in sintering  
L7-22 Factors influencing pure solid state sintering  
L7-23 Liquid phase sintering  
L7-24 Constrained sintering  
L7-25 Reaction sintering  

 

Videos for lab demonstrations

Dry pressing