UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI GENOVA
SCUOLA POLITECNICA
CORSO DI STUDI IN INGEGNERIA CHIMICA
CODICE E NOME CORSO: 65943- CERAMIC MATERIALS Prof. R. BOTTER,
Crediti: 6
SSD: ING IND/22
Lingua: INGLESE
Anno di corso: II Laurea Magistrale
Semestre: 1
Lectures hours:
Laboratory Training: Training hours:
Hours of personal study:
40
8
Integrative course:
Aims: Understanding ceramic process, sintering mechanism, structural imperfections and
mechanical and functional properties of ceramic materials.
Contents : Definition of ceramics, classification (traditional and advanced ceramic), elementary
crystallography, general characteristic of ceramic materials, the stages of ceramic process.
Structural properties: crystal structure of ceramics, bonds, Pauling rule’s. Silica polymorphism,
structure of silicate, clay minerals.
Defect chemistry, Kroger-Vink notation and formulation of reaction equations. Thermodynamic
control of vacancy concentration.
Glass structure, Zachariasen rules, network forming, network modifier. Glass formation, properties
and effect of composition on glass characteristic, nucleation and growth, glass-ceramics.
Phase diagrams: phase rule, one-component systems, binary systems, ternary systems, lever rule,
free-energy composition and temperature diagrams. Binary and Ternary cases of interest for
ceramist. Examples of isopletal cooling and heating on ternary diagram of the most important
ceramic system.
Ceramic processing: method of powder preparation, comminution, particle size analysis, particle
size distribution, packing of powders for refractory and advanced ceramic.
Stability of suspension, wetting, additive. General ceramic forming principles. Drying, Debonding
and Firing.
Densification and coarsening: transport mechanism at the initial stage of sintering. Intermediate and
final stage of sintering, grain growth and pore elimination. Sintering in presence of liquid phases
Laboratory training: Mercury porosimeter, Green forming, Thermogravimetry, Dilatometry,
SEM.
Expected learning outcomes: Knowledge of the general characteristic of the main ceramic
materials and the relationship between chemical composition microstructure and properties. How
design a ceramic processes to optimize the material performance in relation to its application.
Prerequisites: None
Type and examination procedures: The oral exam is designed to assess the knowledge of the
main characteristics of ceramic materials and an understanding of the relationship between chemical
structure and microstructure and mechanical, chemical and physical properties of ceramics. It will
also be evaluated for their ability to change the parameters of a ceramic process to optimize the
product’s characteristic. To this end, an initial question will focus on one of the topics of the course
chosen by the student and after discussion it will be proposed a second question on a topic chosen
by the teacher.
Addresses and office hours professor::
Every week at the request of the student appointment
Textbooks:
Slides available on AulaWeb.
Introduction to Ceramics, 2nd Ed. –1976. Kingery, Bowen, Uhlmann
Physical Ceramics: Principles for Ceramic Science and Engineering 1996. Kingery et al.
Principles of Ceramics Processing, 1995. J.S Reed
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