87445 - Ceramics Technology and Materials Characterization M

Learning outcomes

Introduction to the characteristics, the properties, the manufacturing, the application and the recycling of ceramic materials. Knowledge of basic and advanced techniques for mechanical, thermal and morphological characterization of materials.

Course contents

Materials characterization

• Introduction: classification of materials and definition of structure and microstructure
• Microscopies: optical microscopy, electronic microscopies (SEM and TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM)
• Spectroscopic methods for the chemical characterization of materials: FT-IR, UV-Vis, NMR, XRD.
• Thermal analysis of materials: TGA, DTA, DSC.
• Determination of the surface properties of materials: XPS.
• Chromatographic methods for the characterization of polymers: GPC.
• Determination of the mechanical properties of materials: hardness, tensile, flexural and compression testing, impact testing.
• Cases studied from academia and industry.

Ceramics technology

• Introduction: definition of ceramic materials, classification in traditional and advanced ceramics.
• Microstructure and general properties of ceramic materials: monocrystalline, polycrystalline, glassy materials. Crystalline structures in ceramics. Phase distribution. Porosity. Mechanical thermal, chemical, electrical and functional properties of ceramic materials. Structure-properties correlations.
• Raw materials for ceramic products: silicates (silica, clays, feldspars) and non-silicates raw materials. Characterization and quality of raw materials for traditional ceramics: chemical composition, mineralogical structure, granulometry, rheology, plasticity, moldability, melting and thermal transitions during consolidation.
• Preparation of ceramic compounds. Machining, dry and wet treatments.
• Forming of ceramic products: powder pressing, wet molding, extrusion.
• Surface treatments for ceramic products: pigments and dyes. Innovations in the ceramic world: ink-jet printing with ceramic dyes for high-level decoration.
• Traditional ceramic products. Bricks and ceramic materials for structural applications. Tiles compositions, production lines, and properties. Glasses production and properties. Sanitary ceramics. Refractory materials.
• Cements and cement-based composites:
• Non-oxide ceramics. Nitrides, borides, carbides. Characterization, features and applications in advanced industrial fields.
• Bioceramics and bioglasses for medical applications and regenerative medicine.
• Cases studied from academia and industry.

Readings/Bibliography

• W.D. Callister and D. G. Rethwisch Materials science and engineering - An introduction, VIII Edition, John Wiley & Sons.
• R.B. Heimann, Classic and advanced Ceramics – From fundamentals to applications, Wiley-VCH
• Biomaterials science - An introduction to materials in medicine. B. D. Ratner, A. S. Hoffman, F. J. Schoen, J. E. Lemons. Academic Press Elsevier, 2013
• Instrumental methods of analysis. Hobart H. Willard, Lynne L. Merritt Jr, John A. Dean, Frank A. Settle Jr. CBS.

Teaching methods

Lectures in classroom and practical classes in the laboratory.

Assessment methods

Oral exam on the contents of the course.

The exam is aimed at assessing whether the student has developed knowledge on the topics covered within the course and has developed the ability to critically apply the acquired knowledge (e.g. by knowing how to apply the acquired concepts to new cases and how to perform comparisons and selections).

The ability to express the acquired knowledge and ability by using proper technical language is taken into consideration to award the final grade.

Teaching tools

Slides shown during the classes are made available to the students through Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Enrico Sassoni