Last week, Purdue University revealed that they have discovered a way to reduce fractures in ceramics. Applying an electric field to the ceramic through a process known as sintering has resulted in more pliable ceramics, which are less prone to shattering.
This is incredibly important given that ceramics are vital in our metal engines, including those used in airplanes. Ceramics are able to withstand extreme temperatures up to 3,800 degrees Fahrenheit, with ITC ceramic coatings withstanding an amazing 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
At exposure to high enough temperatures, however, the ceramic can break without warning. With the advent of new ceramic processing, this may help engines last even longer.
“Metals can be compressed to [10% or 20%] strain, no problem, but ceramics often fracture into pieces if you compress them to less than two to three percent strain. We show that flash-sintered ceramics can be compressed to seven to 10 percent without catastrophic fracture,” reported professor Xinghang Zhang to Science Daily, professor of materials engineering.
The Daily Scanner also reports that Zhang said it is now possible to see new cracks in the intact material thanks to the sintering process. This can help identify cracks before they happen since they are now revealed at a lower temperature in the ceramic, allowing engineers and scientists to save the structure before a catastrophic accident.
Flash sintering is a process that utilizes an electric field to identify misaligned molecules within the ceramic. Through applying a heat resistant material called yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) the material becomes more plastic than the previous shattering ceramic. The higher density also makes the material more flexible by lowering the ceramic’s porosity.
It’s estimated that these new ceramics can survive as much strain as some metals when compressed.
Additionally, these ceramics do not shatter completely like other ceramics do. Though these materials do experience failures, they do not result in complete collapses.
Scientists were able to discover this breakthrough through the use of highly technological nanomechanical testing tools and microscope, both of which were used to identify the strength of the new ceramic mater
