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Functional ceramics
Functionality Material Applications

Resistors SiC, MoSi2, LaCrO3 Heating elements for high temperature

furnaces
Thermistors Spinels Temperature sensors, self-regulating
(NTCR & PTCR) BaTiO3 heating elements
Dielectrics with very low Al2O3, AlN, Substrates for electronic circuits and
losses (r = 3 -10) cordierite chip packaging
Microstructure of ceramics Dielectrics for microwave BaTi4O9,
Zr(Ti,Sn)O4,
MW resonators, filters and antennas for
mobile communications and GPS
applications (r = 30-80)
BaMg1/3Ta2/3O3, devices, tunable MW devices
(Ba,Sr)TiO3,
Temperature stable dielectrics CaTiO3, BaO- Capacitors with temperature-
(r 100) Nd2O3-TiO2 independent capacitance
Dielectrics with very high BaTiO3 Multilayer ceramic capacitors
dielectric constant (r 3000)
Piezoelectric ceramics Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) Transducers, actuators and resonators

Pyroelectric ceramics Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 IR radiation detection and imaging

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Structural ceramics Functional ceramics

Functionality Material Applications
Si3N4: bearing balls, cutting tools, heat exchangers, turbocharger rotors, parts of
Ferroelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 Ferroelectric memories (FeRAMs)
gas turbines ceramics SrBi2Ta2O9
SiC: abrasives, disk brakes, pipes for corrosive liquids, ballistic armors Electrostrictive PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3 -PbTiO3 Actuators
ceramics (PMN-PT)
WC, Ti(C,N): cermets, inserts for cutting tools
Magnetic ceramics Spinels (Ni,Zn)Fe2O4 Inductors
B4C: neutron absorber in nuclear plants, ballistic armors, nozzles, abrasives BaFe12O19 Permanent magnets
Al2O3 (alumina): spark plugs, substrates, crucibles, furnace tubes, ballistic armors, Y3Fe5O12 (YIG) Microwave devices (radars)
thermal insulation Ionic conductors Y:ZrO2 (YSZ) Electrolytes for solid-oxide fuel cells
Gd:CeO2 (SOFCs), oxygen sensors
3Al2O32SiO2 (mullite) & Mg2Al3(Si5AlO18) (cordierite): catalytic converters, ceramic Na-Batteries
-alumina
filters Superconductors YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) Superconducting cables for magnets
ZrO2 (zirconia): knifes, watch cases, orthopedic implants, grinding media, thermal MgB2
barrier coatings Transparent Al2O3, MgAl2O4, Y3Al5O12 Phosphors, optical materials for lenses
ceramics (YAG) and laser systems, nose cones for heat-
UO2: nuclear fuel seeking missiles, high-pressure sodium
street lamps
Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 (hydroxyapatite): biomedical implants, artificial bone
Optoelectronic LiNbO3 Waveguides, frequency doublers,
materials PLZT voltage-controlled optical switches,
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modulators

Thick (left) and thick (right) substrates (alumina)

Two Kyocera ceramic knives Ceramic body armour plates Ceramic Si3N4 bearing parts
Pressed and extruded parts (alumina, mullite, zirconia)

Radial rotor made from Si3N4

for a gas turbine engine
The Porsche Carrera GT's
silicon carbide disk brake
3 Ferrites cores Microwave dielectric components 6

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Microstructure

Microstructure of ceramics

forming sintering

Raw powder Formed product Sintered product

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Ceramic microstructures
Powder Pressing Process SSS 99% Al2O3 transparent fully dense (ideal) ceramic: grains
+ grain boundaries

SSS 99% Al2O3 - ceramic with residual porosity: grains + g.b. + pores

LPS 96% Al2O3 - dense ceramic with grain boundary glass phase: grains +
glassy phase (CaO*SiO2) + 2 types of g.b.

Filling Compaction Green part

Mould ejected - then
sintered
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Microstructural variables
Sintering Process Density
- crystallographic (from unit cell parameters)
- theoretical (zero porosity, takes into account real composition)
- apparent (geometrical) density (< theoretical)
- relative density = (apparent/theoretical)*100
Porosity
- closed (only closed above 93% r.d.)
- open (pore networks connected to the surface)
- intragranular
- intergranular

Pressed Ceramic Sintered for Sintered for Grain size (simplest method: mean intercept length)
Particles a short time a long time Grain size distribution (monomodal, bimodal, abnormal grain growth)
Grain shape (equiaxed, elongated, prismatic, columnar, tabular, platelets)
- aspect ratio (ratio longest/shortest size dimensions)

Extended defects (dislocations, stacking faults, twins, domain walls)

Second phase composition, shape and distribution

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Texture (grains oriented in a preferential direction)

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Bulk density

Apparent density

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Porosity

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Types of porosity

Theoretical density

Intergranular Intragranular
porosity porosity
Y 2O3:ZrO2 (PSZ) ceramic
Intra- and intergranular porosity

Ba(Ti,Ce)O3 ceramic
Closed (intragranular) and open
(intergranular channels) porosity
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Revealing microstructure
Thermal etching
Chemical etching
Vapour

Solid grain Solid grain

After polishing

Fully-dense alumina
Si3N4

After thermal treatment

SiC
Er-doped BaTiO3
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Grain size distributions and abnormal grain growth

Mg0.1Al1.8Ti1.1O5 ceramics

1450C/2 h
Equiaxed grains with
monomodal distribution

1500C/2 h
Some large elongated grains
appear: onset of AGG

1550C/2 h
Bimodal distribution related to
AGG

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Revealing microstructure

Polished surface Fractography

Grain pull-out

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Cross-sections of Ba(Ti,Zr)O3 ceramics