14

Ceramic Materials

1442 The specific gravity of Al2O3 is 3.96 g/cm3. A ceramic part is produced by sintering
alumina powder. It weighs 80 g when dry, 92 g after it has soaked in water, and 58 g
when suspended in water. Calculate the apparent porosity, the true porosity, and the
closed pores.

Solution: From the problem statement, r  3.96, Wd  80 g, Ww  92, and Ws 

58. From the equations,
Ww  Wd 92  80
apparent porosity   100   100  35.29%
Ww  Ws 92  58
The bulk density is B  Wd(Ww  Ws)  80(92  58)  2.3529 g/cm3.
Therefore:
rB 3.96  2.3529
true porosity   100   100  40.58%
r 3.96
closed porosity  40.58  35.29  5.29%

1443 Silicon carbide (SiC) has a specific gravity of 3.1 g/cm3. A sintered SiC part is pro-
duced, occupying a volume of 500 cm3 and weighing 1200 g. After soaking in
water, the part weighs 1250 g. Calculate the bulk density, the true porosity, and the
volume fraction of the total porosity that consists of closed pores.

Solution: The appropriate constants required for the equations are:

r  3.1 g/cm3 B  1200 g 500 cm3  2.4 g/cm3
Ww  1250 g Wd  1200 g
Therefore:
B  2.4  Wd  1Ww  Ws 2  1200 11250  Ws 2 or Ws  750 g

157
158 The Science and Engineering of Materials Instructors Solution Manual

Ww  Wd 1250  1200
apparent porosity   100   100  10%
Ww  Ws 1250  750
1r  B2 13.1  2.42
true porosity    100  22.58%
r 3.1
closed porosity  22.58  10  12.58%
fclosed  12.58 22.58  0.44

1454 Calculate the O:Si ratio when 20 wt% Na2O is added to SiO2. Explain whether this
material will provide good glass forming tendencies. Above what temperature must
the ceramic be heated to be all-liquid?

Solution: MWsoda  2122.992  16  61.98 g/mol

MWsilica  28.08  21162  60.08 g/mol
20 g 61.98 g/mol
mole fraction Na2O   0.1951
20 61.98  80 60.08
11 ONa2O210.19512  12 OSiO2 210.80492
OSi   2.24
11 SiSiO2 210.80492
Since the OSi ratio is less than 2.5, it should be possible to produce a
glass.
From the Na2OSiO2 phase diagram (Figure 1411), we find that, for
20 wt% Na2O, the liquidus temperature is about 1000C. We must heat the
material above 1000C to begin the glass-making operation.

1455 How many grams of BaO can be added to 1 kg of SiO2 before the O:Si ratio
exceeds 2.5 and glass-forming tendencies are poor? Compare this to the case when
Li2O is added to SiO2.

Solution: We can first calculate the required mole fraction of BaO required to
produce an O:Si ratio of 2.5:
11 OBaO2 fBaO  12 OSiO2 211  fBaO 2
OSi  2.5 
11 Si/SiO2 211  fBaO 2
fBaO  0.33 and fsilica  0.67
The molecular weight of BaO is 137.3  16  153.3 g/mol, and that of
silica is 60.08 g/mol. The weight percent BaO is therefore:
10.33 mol21153.3 g/mol2
wt% BaO   100  55.69%
10.3321153.32  10.672160.082
For 1 kg of SiO2, the amount of BaO is:
x g BaO
0.5569  or x  1257 g BaO
x g BaO  1000 g SiO2
The mole fraction of Li2O required is:
11 OLi2O2 fLi2O  12 OSiO2 211  fLi2O 2
OSi  2.5 
11 Si SiO2 211  fLi2O 2
fLi2O  0.33 and fsilica  0.67
 CHAPTER 14 Ceramic Materials 159

The molecular weight of Li2O is 2(6.94)  16  29.88 g/mol, and that of

silica is 60.08 g/mol. The weight percent Li2O is therefore:
10.33 mol2129.88 g mol2
wt% Li2O   100  19.7%
10.332129.882  10.672160.082
For 1 kg of SiO2, the amount of Li2O is:
x g Li2O
0.197  or x  245 g Li2O
x g Li2O  1000 g SiO2
Much larger amounts of BaO can be added compared to Li2O and still
retain the ability to form a glass.

1456 Calculate the O:Si ratio when 30 wt% Y2O3 is added to SiO2. Will this material pro-
vide good glass-forming tendencies?

Solution: MWyttria  2188.912  31162  225.82 g/mol

MWsilica  60.08 g/mol
The mole fraction of yttria is (assuming a base of 100 g of ceramic):
30 g 225.82 g/mol
fyttria   0.102
30 225.82  7060.08
The OSi ratio is then:
13 OY2O3 210.1022  12 OSiO2 210.8982
OSi   2.34
11 SiSiO2 210.8982
The material will produce a glass.

1457 Lead can be introduced into a glass either as PbO (where the Pb has a valence of
2) or as PbO2 (where the Pb has a valence of 4). Such leaded glasses are used to
make what is marketed as crystal glass for dinnerware. Draw a sketch (similar to
Figure 1410) showing the effect of each of these oxides on the silicate network.
Which oxide is a modifier and which is an intermediate?

Solution: PbO2 provides the same number of metal and oxygen atoms to the
network as does silica; the PbO2 does not disrupt the silicate network;
therefore the PbO2 is a intermediate.
PbO does not provide enough oxygen to keep the network intact; conse-
quently PbO is a modifier.

s
Pb

Pb
160 The Science and Engineering of Materials Instructors Solution Manual

1458 A glass composed of 65 mol% SiO2, 20 mol% CaO, and 15 mol% Na2O is prepared.
Calculate the O:Si ratio and determine whether the material has good glass-forming
tendencies. Estimate the liquidus temperature of the material using Figure 1416.

Solution: Based on the mole fractions, we can determine the O:Si ratio:
12 OSiO2 210.652  11 OCaO210.202  11 ONa2O210.152
OSi 
11 SiSiO2 210.652
OSi  2.54
The glass-forming tendencies are relatively poor and special attention to
the cooling rate may be required.
To determine the liquidus, we must find the weight percentages of each
constituent. The molecular weights are:
MWsilica  60.08 g/mol
MWCaO  40.08  16  56.08 g/mol
MWsoda  2122.992  16  61.98 g/mol
10.652160.082
wt% SiO2   100
10.652160.082  10.202156.082  10.152161.982
 65.56%
10.202156.082
wt% CaO   100
10.652160.082  10.202156.082  10.152161.982
 18.83%
10.152161.982
wt% Na2O   100
10.652160.082  10.202156.082  10.152161.982
 15.61%
From the ternary phase diagram, this overall composition gives a liquidus
temperature of about 1140C.