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Ceramics
keramikos - burnt stuff in Greek - desirable properties
of ceramics are normally achieved through a high-
temperature heat treatment process (firing).
Usually a compound between metallic and non-
metallic elements
Always composed of more than one element (e.g.,
Al2O3, NaCl, SiC, SiO2)
Bonds are partially or totally ionic, and can have
combination of ionic and covalent bonding
Generally hard and brittle
Generally electrical and thermal insulators
Can be optically opaque, semi-transparent, or
transparent
Traditional ceramics based on clay (china, bricks,
tiles, porcelain), glasses.
New ceramics for electronic, computer, aerospace
industries.
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
Coordination Number
The number of adjacent atoms (ions) surrounding
a reference
atom (ion) without overlap of electron orbitals.
Also called ligancy
Depends on ion size (close packed)
Ideal: Like-sized atoms = 12
Calculated by considering the greatest number
of larger ions
(radius R) that can be in contact with the smaller
one (radius r).
R=1.0
r =0.2
CN = 1 possible CN = 2 possible
30
Cos 30=0.866=R/(r+R)
r/R = 0.155
CN = 4 possible
Coordination Number
CN r/R
2 0<r/R<0.155
CN numbers for
3 0.155r/R<0.225
ionic bonding
4 0.225r/R<0.414
6 0.414r/R<0.732
8 0.732r/R<1
12 1
Example: KCl
K+ r=0.133nm, Cl- R=0.188nm,
r/R = 0.71, CN = 6
Example: CsCl
Cs+ r=0.165nm, Cl- R=0.188nm,
r/R = 0.91, CN = 8
Example: Al2O3
Al+3 r=0.057nm, O-2 R=0.132
nm, r/R = 0.43, CN = 6
However for O-2 CN= (2/3) (6)
=4
[(2/3) = (cation/ion) ratio]
University of Tennessee, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering 6
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
<0.155
The critical ratio can
be determined by
simple geometrical
analysis 0.155-0225
0.225-0.414
30
0.414-0.732
Cos 30= 0.866
= R/(r+R)
r/R = 0.155
0.732-1.0
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
Semiconductor Structures
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
How to Differentiate?
Look at the formula
perovskite = ABX3
spinel = AB2X4
fluorite = AX2
calcite = AX
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
Density computation
(similar to Chapter 3.5 for metals)
= n(AC + AA) / (VcNA)
n: number of formula units in unit cell (all ions that are
included in the chemical formula of the compound
= formula unit)
AC: sum of atomic weights of cations in the formula unit
AA: sum of atomic weights of anions in the formula unit
Vc : volume of the unit cell
NA: Avogadros number, 6.0231023 (formula
units)/mol
Example: NaCl
n = 4 in FCC lattice
AC = ANa = 22.99 g/mol
AA = ACl = 35.45 g/mol
Vc = a3 = (2rNa+2rCl)3 =
= (20.10210-7 + 20.18110-7)3 cm3
University of Tennessee, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering 15
Silicate Ceramics
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
Window glasses
Most common window glasses are produced by adding
other oxides (e.g. CaO, Na2O) whose cations are
incorporated within SiO4 network. The cations break the
tetrahedral network and glasses melt at lower temperature
than pure amorphous SiO2 because. A lower melting point
makes it easy to form glass to make, for instance, bottles.
Some other oxides (TiO2, Al2O3 substitute for silicon and
become part of the network
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
Carbon
Carbon is not a ceramic
Carbon exists in various polymorphic forms: sp3 diamond
and amorphous carbon, sp2 graphite and
fullerenes/nanotubes, one dimensional sp carbon
Carbon: Diamond
from http://www.people.virginia.edu/~lz2n/Diamond.html
Figures University of Tennessee, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering 20
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
~ 100
microns
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD)
Thin films up to a few hundred microns
Polycrystalline
Applications: hard coatings (tool bits etc),
machine components, heat sinks for high
power semiconductor devices
Carbon: Graphite
Layered structure with strong bonding within the planar
layers and weak, van der Waals bonding between layers
Easy interplanar cleavage, applications as a lubricant
and for writing (pencils)
Good electrical conductor
Chemically stable even at high temperatures
Applications include furnaces, rocket nozzles, welding
electrodes
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
Figures from of
University http://www.nas.nasa.gov/Groups/SciTech/nano/
Tennessee, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering 23
Schottky defect
Frenkel defect
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
Impurities in Ceramics
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
Stress (MPa)
Stress (MPa)
(a) Tension () (b) Compression ()
FA
= =
dv dy dv dy
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 13, Structure and Properties of Ceramics
Summary
Make sure you understand language and concepts:
Anion
Cation
Defect structure
Frenkel defect
Electroneutrality
Schottky defect
Stoichiometry
Viscosity
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