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Special Issue "High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials"

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced and Functional Ceramics and Glasses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2023 | Viewed by 10730

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rujie He

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Guest Editor

Institute of Advanced Structure Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: ceramics; ceramic matrix composites; additive manufacturing; 3D/4D printing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Qingbo Wen

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Guest Editor

State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Interests: polymer-derived ceramics; ultrahigh-temperature ceramics; ceramic matrix composites; electromagnetic wave absorbing/shielding materials

Dr. Fei Li

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Guest Editor

Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
Interests: ceramics; polymer-derived ceramics; porous materials; high-entropy materials

Dr. Wenjie Li

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Guest Editor

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Interests: functional ceramics and alloys; thermoelectric; high-entropy alloys; energy-harvesting materials and devices

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Structural ceramics are developing vigorously toward the direction of high performance, which benefits from advances in the neighboring fields of mechanics, computing science, advanced manufacturing, advanced characterization, engineering, and their fruitful interdisciplinary integration. Over the last few decades, the rapid development of unprecedented computational power, novel mechanical design, advanced manufacturing techniques, and advanced characterization techniques have boosted the development of high-performance structural ceramics and hybrid materials, and their engineering applications.

Therefore, the purpose of this Special Issue is to present high-quality scientific papers to readers who share their interest in high-performance structural ceramics and hybrid materials. The main topics will cover novel structural ceramics for extreme in-service environments (aerospace, nuclear, armor, medical, etc.), multifunctional structural ceramics and metamaterials (lightweight, load-bearing capacity, electromagnetic, acoustic, thermal, energy, structure–function integration, etc.), constitutive modeling and simulation of structural ceramics, novel mechanical design for structural ceramics (negative Poisson’s ratio design, zero thermal expansion design, etc.), advanced manufacturing techniques for structural ceramics (3D or 4D printing, novel sintering approaches, etc.), as well as advanced characterization techniques for structural ceramics. Particular attention will be paid to manuscripts combining design, experiments, and models, as well as innovative techniques.

We are pleased to invite you to submit a manuscript (communication, full length article, or review) to this Special Issue of Materials MDPI on “High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials”.

Dr. Rujie He
Dr. Qingbo Wen
Dr. Fei Li
Dr. Wenjie Li
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2300 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

high-performance structural ceramics and hybrid materials
ceramics for extreme in-service environments
multifunctional structural ceramics and metamaterials
constitutive modeling and simulation of structural ceramics
novel mechanical design for structural ceramics
advanced manufacturing techniques for structural ceramics
advanced characterization techniques for structural ceramics

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Microstructure and Ablation Behavior of C/C-SiC-(Zr_xHf_1−x)C Composites Prepared by Reactive Melt Infiltration Method

and

Materials 2023, 16(5), 2120; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16052120 - 06 Mar 2023

Viewed by 407

Abstract

C/C-SiC-(Zr_xHf_1−x)C composites were prepared by the reactive melt infiltration method. The microstructure of the porous C/C skeleton and the C/C-SiC-(Zr_xHf_1−x)C composites, as well as the structural evolution and ablation behavior of the C/C-SiC-(Zr_xHf_1−x)C composites, were systematically investigated. The results show that the C/C-SiC-(Zr_xHf_1−x)C composites were mainly composed of carbon fiber, carbon matrix, SiC ceramic, (Zr_xHf_1−x)C and (Zr_xHf_1−x)Si₂ solid solutions. The refinement of the pore structure is beneficial to promote the formation of (Zr_xHf_1−x)C ceramic. The C/C-SiC-(Zr_xHf_1−x)C composites exhibited outstanding ablation resistance under an air–plasma environment at around 2000 °C. After ablation for 60 s, CMC-1 appeared to possess the minimum mass and linear ablation rates of only 2.696 mg/s and −0.814 µm/s, respectively, which are lower than those of CMC-2 and CMC-3. During the ablation process, a Bi-liquid phase and a liquid–solid two-phase structure were formed on the ablation surface which could act as an oxygen diffusion barrier to retard further ablation, which is responsible for the excellent ablation resistance of the C/C-SiC-(Zr_xHf_1−x)C composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessArticle

Structural, Vibrational, and Magnetic Characterization of Orthoferrite LaFeO₃ Ceramic Prepared by Reaction Flash Sintering

Alejandro F. Manchón-Gordón

Pedro E. Sánchez-Jiménez

Javier S. Blázquez

Antonio Perejón

and

Luis A. Pérez-Maqueda

Materials 2023, 16(3), 1019; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16031019 - 22 Jan 2023

Viewed by 487

Abstract

LaFeO₃ perovskite ceramics have been prepared via reaction flash technique using Fe₂O₃ and La₂O₃ as precursors. The obtained pellets have been investigated using several techniques. The formation of LaFeO₃ has been clearly confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The scanning electron microscopy micrographs have shown the microporous character of the obtained pellets due to the low temperature and dwell time used in the synthesis process (10 min at 1173 K). The orthorhombic-rhombohedral phase transition has been observed at approximately 1273 K in differential thermal analysis measurements, which also allows us to determine the Néel temperature at 742 K. The fitted Mössbauer spectra exposed the presence of a single sextet ascribed to the Fe⁺³ ions in the tetrahedral site. Finally, magnetic measurements at room temperature indicate the antiferromagnetic character of the sample. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessArticle

Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Silicon Carbide Monoliths via Ambient Pressure Drying Sol–Gel Process Followed by High-Temperature Pyrolysis

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Materials 2023, 16(1), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010220 - 26 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 526

Abstract

Hierarchical porous silicon carbide (SiC) attracts great attention due to its superior chemical resistance, high thermal shock resistance, and excellent thermal stability. The preparation of a porous SiC monolith via a simple sol–gel method is limited by either the high cost of the raw materials or the special time-consuming drying process. Herein, we report an ambient drying sol–gel approach for the synthesis of organic–inorganic hybrid monolithic gels which can be converted into hierarchical porous SiC monoliths upon pyrolysis at 1400 °C. The as-synthesized SiC monoliths possess hierarchical pores with macropores of 4.5 µm and mesopores of 2.0 nm. The porosities, specific surface areas and compressive strengths of the hierarchical porous SiC monoliths are 71.3%, 171.5 m²/g and 7.0 ± 0.8 MPa, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Static Stress on the Anisotropy of Piezoceramics

V. M. Tsaplev

R. S. Konovalov

and

S. I. Konovalov

Materials 2022, 15(15), 5186; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15155186 - 26 Jul 2022

Viewed by 484

Abstract

The influence of static compressional stress on the anisotropy of piezoelectric ceramics of BaTiO₃ and PZT types is considered theoretically and experimentally. Static compression changes the domain structure of piezoceramics. These changes occur due to the reorientation of mostly 90° domain axes. As a result, all the parameters of the material change—elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric. Some of them increase, and some, on the contrary, decrease. Changes occur in a nonlinear way, and higher-order parameters appear. The relationship between the total volume of the reoriented domains and the change in elastic moduli and piezomoduli is theoretically considered. The corresponding theoretical dependences are obtained. To confirm these theoretical dependences, experimental measurements were performed using the ultrasonic pulse-interference method at a frequency of 8 MHz. There is practically no oscillation movement of domain boundaries at this frequency, therefore, the change in the system of elastic and piezoelectric moduli is structural, not dynamic. The possibility of predicting changes in the structure of modules as a result of static compression is shown. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessArticle

Broadband Electromagnetic Absorption Effect of Topological Structure Using Carbon Nanotube Based Hybrid Material

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Materials 2022, 15(14), 4983; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15144983 - 18 Jul 2022

Viewed by 615

Abstract

The development of microwave absorbing technology raises the demands for all-band absorption. The topological structures expand the frequency range of electromagnetic wave absorption and eliminate the differences caused by scattering in different incident directions. The multi-wall carbon nanotube and carbonyl iron particles were mixed with polylactic polymer to fabricate filaments for fused deposition. The distribution characteristics of the structures using carbonyl iron/carbon nanotube hybrid material for the key absorption frequency band are obtained. The reflectivity of the honeycomb structure in X and Ku bands is verified experimentally through the preparation method of fused deposition modeling 3D printing. With the decrease of the fractal dimension number, the electromagnetic loss performance basically increases. Preliminary research results showed that the topological structure could significantly expand the absorbing frequency range, and the effective frequency band less than −10 dB is 2–40 GHz, which has a clear application potential for radar absorption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessArticle

Colossal Permittivity Characteristics of (Nb, Si) Co-Doped TiO₂ Ceramics

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Materials 2022, 15(13), 4701; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15134701 - 05 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 718

Abstract

(Nb⁵⁺, Si⁴⁺) co-doped TiO₂ (NSTO) ceramics with the compositions (Nb_0.5Si_0.5)_xTi_1−xO₂, x = 0, 0.025, 0.050 and 0.1 were prepared with a solid-state reaction technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and Raman spectra confirmed that the tetragonal rutile is the main phase in all the ceramics. Additionally, XRD revealed the presence of a secondary phase of SiO₂ in the co-doped ceramics. Impedance spectroscopy analysis showed two contributions, which correspond to the responses of grain and grain-boundary. All the (Nb, Si) co-doped TiO₂ showed improved dielectric performance in the high frequency range (>10³ Hz). The sample (Nb_0.5Si_0.5)_0.025Ti_0.975O₂ showed the best dielectric performance in terms of higher relative permittivity (5.5 × 10⁴) and lower dielectric loss (0.18), at 10 kHz and 300 K, compared to pure TiO₂ (1.1 × 10³, 0.34). The colossal permittivity of NSTO ceramics is attributed to an internal barrier layer capacitance (IBLC) effect, formed by insulating grain-boundaries and semiconductor grains in the ceramics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessArticle

Dual-Scale Porosity Alumina Structures Using Ceramic/Camphene Suspensions Containing Polymer Microspheres

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Materials 2022, 15(11), 3875; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15113875 - 29 May 2022

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Abstract

This study demonstrates the utility of thermo-regulated phase separable alumina/camphene suspensions containing poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microspheres as porogens for the production of multi-scale porosity structures. The homogeneous suspension prepared at 60 °C could undergo phase separation during freezing at room temperature. This process resulted in the 3D networks of camphene crystals and alumina walls containing PMMA microspheres. As a consequence, relatively large dendritic pores with several tens of microns size could be created as the replica of frozen camphene crystals. In addition, after the removal of PMMA microspheres via heat-treatment, micron-sized small spherical pores could be generated in alumina walls. As the PMMA content with respect to the alumina content increased from 0 vol% to 40 vol%, while the camphene content in the suspensions was kept constant (70 vol%), the overall porosity increased from 45.7 ± 0.5 vol% to 71.4 ± 0.5 vol%. This increase in porosity is attributed to an increase in the fraction of spherical pores in the alumina walls. Thus, compressive strength decreased from 153 ± 18.3 MPa to 33 ± 7.2 MPa. In addition, multi-scale porosity alumina objects with a honeycomb structure comprising periodic hexagonal macrochannels surrounded by dual-scale porosity walls were constructed using a 3D plotting technique. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Influence of Additives on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Alumina Ceramics

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Materials 2022, 15(8), 2956; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15082956 - 18 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1118

Abstract

Alumina is one of the most commonly used and researched structural ceramic because of its excellent properties. However, its intrinsic brittleness is the fatal drawback, which hinders it from wider applications. How to improve its fracture toughness as well as the bending strength is always challenging for material researchers. In this paper, alumina matrix composites were fabricated by hot-pressing, in which some additives, including zirconia, alumina platelets, and MXene, were incorporated. The influence of the introduced additives on their microstructure and mechanical properties was investigated. Compare with the monolithic alumina, both bending strength and fracture toughness of all samples were improved greatly. Incorporation of zirconia was beneficial to the mechanical properties due to the phase-transformation strengthening and toughening mechanism. While alumina platelets resulted in high fracture toughness because of the self-toughening of elongated grains. The synergistic effect of alumina platelets and MXene enormously improved the fracture toughness from 2.9 ± 0.3 MPa·m^1/2 for monolithic alumina to 7.5 ± 0.4 MPa·m^1/2 for the composite, which was increased by 159%. This work will provide useful references for the fabrication of high-strength and high-toughness alumina ceramics by introducing additives properly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessArticle

A Combination of Calcination and the Spark Plasma Sintering Method in Multiferroic Ceramic Composite Technology: Effects of Process Temperature and Dwell Time

Dariusz Bochenek

Materials 2022, 15(7), 2524; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15072524 - 30 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 695

Abstract

This study reports a combined technological process that includes synthesis by the calcination powder route and sintering by the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) method for multiferroic ceramic composites in order to find the optimal sintering conditions. The effects of temperature on the SPS process and dwell time on the microstructure and dielectric properties of the PF composites were discussed. Research has shown that using the SPS method in the technological process of the multiferroic composites favors the correct densification of powders and allows for obtaining a fine-grained microstructure with good properties and electrophysical parameters in the composite material. The optimal set of parameters and properties is demonstrated by the sample obtained at the temperature of 900 °C for 3 min, i.e., resistivity (6.4 × 10⁸ Ωm), values of the dielectric loss factor (0.016), permittivity at room temperature (753) and permittivity at the phase transition temperature (3290). Moreover, due to the high homogeneity of the microstructure, the strength of the material against electric breakdown increases (when examining the ferroelectric hysteresis loop, the application of a high electric field (3—3.5 kV/mm) is also possible at higher temperatures). In the case of the composite material tested, both the lower and higher temperatures as well as the shorter and longer dwell times (compared to the optimal SPS process conditions) did not contribute to the improvement of the microstructure or the set of usable parameters of the composite materials. The strength of the ceramic samples against electric breakdown has also diminished, while the phenomenon of leakage current increased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessArticle

Colloidal Processing of Y_0.08Zr_0.92O₂/La_0.80Sr_0.20MnO₃ Semi-Cells Using a Sr-Doped Lanthanum Manganite Synthesized by a Citrate Route

Paloma Recio

Carmen Alcázar

and

Rodrigo Moreno

Materials 2021, 14(24), 7831; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14247831 - 17 Dec 2021

Viewed by 1405

Abstract

In this paper, the interface between yttria stabilized zirconia (Y_0.08Zr_0.92O₂, YSZ) electrolyte and Sr-doped lanthanum manganite (La_0.80Sr_0.20MnO₃, LSM) cathode for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is studied. For such a purpose, the combination of a suitable synthesis route for obtaining fine powders and simple aqueous colloidal shaping routes is proposed. The synthesis of nanosized particles of La_0.80Sr_0.20MnO₃ by a citrate route and their full characterization, including the colloidal stability and the densification and phase development determined by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy at different temperatures, is reported. In a second step, YSZ tapes were obtained by aqueous tape casting and used as substrates for the preparation of LSM coatings by dip-coating using aqueous slurries. YSZ tapes were used either in the green state or after a pre-sintering treatment. Co-sintering at 1350 °C led to a sharp interface with excellent adhesion, also achieved when coating pre-sintered tapes. In both cases, the substrates are dense and the coatings are porous, with thicknesses of 85 and 60 μm for green and pre-sintered tapes, respectively. No diffusion of Zr and Y occurs at the LSM layer, but some diffusion of La and Mn towards the YSZ layer takes place. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Open AccessArticle

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of TiN–TiB₂–hBN Composites Fabricated by Reactive Hot Pressing Using TiN–B Mixture

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Materials 2021, 14(23), 7198; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14237198 - 26 Nov 2021

Viewed by 914

Abstract

In this study, TiN–TiB₂–hBN composite ceramics were prepared via reactive hot pressing using TiN and amorphous B powders as raw materials. Different sintering temperatures and composition ratios were studied. The results show that the 70 vol% TiN–17.6 vol% TiB₂–12.4 vol% hBN ceramic composites obtained ideal comprehensive properties at 1600 °C. The relative density, Vickers hardness, bending strength, and fracture toughness were 99%, 11 GPa, 521 MPa, and 4.22 MPa·m^1/2, respectively. Densification was promoted by the highly active reaction product TiB₂, and the structural defects formed in the grains. Meanwhile, the good interfacial bonding between TiN and TiB₂ grains and the uniform dispersion of ultrafine hBN in the matrix contributed to the excellent bending strength. Moreover, the toughening mechanism of crack deflection and grain pull-out improved the fracture toughness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Colloidal Processing of Complex-Shaped ZrB₂-Based Ultra-High-Temperature Ceramics: Progress and Prospects

Guoqian Liu

Changhai Yan

and

Hua Jin

Materials 2022, 15(8), 2886; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15082886 - 14 Apr 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1105

Abstract

Ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTCs), such as ZrB₂-based ceramics, are the most promising candidates for ultra-high-temperature applications. Due to their strong covalent bonding and low self-diffusion, ZrB₂-based UHTCs are always hot-pressed at temperatures above 1800 °C. However, the hot-pressing technique typically produces disks or cylindrical objects limiting to relatively simple geometrical and moderate sizes. Fabrication of complex-shaped ZrB₂-based UHTC components requires colloidal techniques. This study reviews the suspension dispersion and colloidal processing of ZrB₂-based UHTCs. The most important issues during the colloidal processing of ZrB₂-based UHTCs are summarized, and an evaluation of colloidal processing methods of the ZrB₂-based UHTCs is provided. Gel-casting, a net or near-net colloidal processing technique, is believed to exhibit a great potential for the large-scale industrialization of ZrB₂-based UHTCs. In addition, additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, which has been drawing great attention recently, has a great potential in the manufacturing of ZrB₂-based UHTC components in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Structural Ceramics and Hybrid Materials)

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