About Book

Today, research in ceramics is vital for advances in electronics and telecommunications, devices for energy conversion, storage and harvesting, catalysts and sensors, vehicle and personnel armour, as well as for ferro/piezo-electric devices, micro-mechanical systems, permanent magnets, automobile engines, and biomedical applications. Ceramic engineering is the field which deals with the design and manufacture of objects from non-metallic and inorganic materials. Ceramics are typically hard and chemically non-reactive and can be formed or densified with heat. Ceramics are more than pottery and dishes; clay, bricks, tiles, glass and cement are probably the best-known examples. Ceramic materials are used in electronics because, depending on their composition, they may be semiconducting, superconducting, ferroelectric, or an insulator. This book provides comprehensive insights into the field of ceramic materials. It discusses in detail the different concepts and theories related to this subject. It deals with dielectrics, polycrystalline ceramic materials, mechanosynthesis, nano-ceramic materials, numerical models, microwave fast sintering and microwave technology. It unfolds the innovative aspects of the field, which will be crucial for the holistic understanding of the subject matter. It is a valuable compilation of topics, ranging from the basic to the most complex principles and practices in the field of ceramic science and engineering. Those in search of information to further their knowledge will be greatly assisted by this book.

Preface............................................................................................................v

Chapter 1 Advanced Ceramic Materials Sintered by Microwave

Technology....................................................................................................1

Abstract...................................................................................................1

1. Introduction............................................................................................2

2. Microwave sintering technology........................................................3

3. Conclusions..........................................................................................22

Acknowledgements.............................................................................22

Chapter 2 Ceramic Materials Based on Clay Minerals in Cultural Heritage Study............................................................................................................29

Abstract.................................................................................................29

1. Introduction..........................................................................................30

2. Background...........................................................................................31

3. Case studies..........................................................................................35

4. Conclusions..........................................................................................50

Acknowledgements.............................................................................50

Chapter 3 Microwave Fast Sintering of Double Perovskite Ceramic Materials......................................................................................................59

Abstract.................................................................................................59

1. Introduction..........................................................................................59

2. Experimental procedure.....................................................................67

3. Microwave-sintering of engineered double perovskite ceramic

materials................................................................................................70

4. Conclusions and scope of the future work...................................79

Chapter 4 Numerical Models of Crystallization and Its Direction for Metal

and Ceramic Materials in Technical Application.............................86

1. Introduction..........................................................................................86

2. Numerical models of the temperature field and

heterogeneity........................................................................................88

3. Gravitational casting..........................................................................91

4. Continuously casting........................................................................102

5. Conclusion..........................................................................................116

6. Acknowledgment..............................................................................117

Chapter 5 Advanced Sintering of Nano-Ceramic Materials ..........................119

1. Introduction........................................................................................119

2. Conventional sintering process .....................................................121

3. Advanced sintering process ..........................................................121

4. Summary ...........................................................................................134

5. Acknowledgement ...........................................................................135

Chapter 6 Characterization of Ceramic Materials Synthesized by

Mechanosynthesis for Energy Applications.....................................142

1. Introduction........................................................................................142

2. Theoretical aspects of mechanochemical processing (MCP)....145

3. Defects in ceramic materials...........................................................146

4. Consolidation of ceramic powders................................................157

5. YSZ-LSM interactions .....................................................................159

6. Acknowledgment .............................................................................165

Chapter 7 Sintering to Transparency of Polycrystalline Ceramic

Materials....................................................................................................168

1. Introduction........................................................................................168

2. Ceramic materials.............................................................................172

3. Processing and sintering of transparent ceramic materials.....176

4. Characterization of transparent materials....................................186

5. Conclusions........................................................................................194

Chapter 8 Microwave Fast Sintering of Ceramic Materials.............................199

1. Introduction ......................................................................................199

2. Fundamentals of microwave heating ..........................................202

3. Microwave fast sintering of ceramics ..........................................210

4. Conclusions .......................................................................................222

5. Acknowledgements .........................................................................223

Chapter 9 Dielectrics for High Temperature SiC Device Insulation:

Review of New Polymeric and Ceramic Materials .......................227

1. Introduction........................................................................................227

2. Needs, insulation problematic and constraints .........................228

3. Material choice criteria and main issues ....................................232

4. Conclusion .........................................................................................250

5. Acknowledgment .............................................................................251

Citation......................................................................................................255

Index...........................................................................................................257

About Author

Matt Hansen received his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Public University of Science and Technology, New Brunswick. He has wide-ranging areas of academic interests, which include glass-ceramics, sintering mechanisms and ceramic composites. Hansen serves as an Associate Lecturer at University College, Colima and has also been presented the “Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching”. He has numerous papers, articles and book chapters to his credit. His works have been published in various books as reference materials for researchers.