Ceramics in aerospace

Reasons for properties-

Electrons are locked to ions or atoms

None are free to move, strong bonds, hard to stretch

Directional bonds-

So atoms or ions can't slip

Locks atoms in place

Properties vary depending on the metal used with the ceramic.

Ceramics that have a high % of ionic orc ovalent bond have higher melting points.

Aluminium oxide- Most common

Zirconium Oxide- Highest fracture toughness

Fused Silica- Excellent thermal insulator

Boran Carbide- Hardest material after diamond.

Ceramics can be mde much stronger

More thermally efficient- protects against fire

 Very light

Tenisle strength of pottery over Alumina ceramics- much higher

Ceramics have very high compressive stength- harder than most steels and alloys- only thing harder is diamond.

10 times stronger than steel

As insulation to protect againts fire.

Used by the military as armour plating

Jet engine components.

Future-- Air craft fusalages, turbine blades in jet engines.

Can repace heavier structural componants

less fuel uses=cheaper

Scientists have discovered that by carefully constructing nanoscale struts and joints, materials can recover after being crushed like a sponge.

Makes materials very light and strong can float through the air like a feather as they are made mostly of air.

In conventional ceramics are strong but heavy so can be used where weight matters. weight, stength and density affect  eachother. Brittle- when put under pressure they shatter like glass.

At a nanoscale the rules do not apply- structural properties of ceramics become less tied to the weight.

Creates the structure out of a honey like polymer.

Lattice polymer is coated in a ceramic such as Alumina Al2O3.

The shape is than etched out in a strong acid to remove polymer.

The ceramic is moulded to the desired shape and bonded to other materials sometimes by vaccuming.

Possible to control of the material fails by controlling the thickness- when walls are thick ceramics shatter when put under pressure.

Trusses with thinner walls just 10 nanometers thick bukle and return to their original shape.

Key properties are high heat capacity

 Low Thermal coefficient which measures how the object changes in size when heated.

Low thermal conductivity.