Module 4: Processing of Ceramics, Glass and

Plastics
 Ceramics
 A ceramic material is an inorganic compound consisting of a
metal (or semimetal) and one or more non metals.
 Important examples of ceramic materials are silica, or silicon
dioxide (SiO2), the main ingredient in most glass products;
alumina, or aluminum oxide (Al2O3).
 Ceramics are useful in engineered products because of high
hardness, good electrical and thermal insulating
characteristics, chemical stability, and high melting
temperatures.
 Brittle and possess virtually no ductility.
 It causes problems in both processing and performance of
ceramic products.
 Types of Ceramics
Oxide ceramics Glasses
Alumina Glass ceramics
Zirconia
Graphite
Carbides
Diamond
Tungsten carbide
Titanium carbide Carbon nanotubes
Silicon carbide
Nitrides
Cubic boron nitride
Titanium nitride
Silicon nitride
Sialon
Cermets
Silica
Properties of Ceramics
 Ceramic powder processing
 Ceramic powder processing route: synthesis of powder,
followed by fabrication of green product which is then
consolidated to obtain the final product
 Synthesis of powder involves crushing, grinding, separating
impurities, blending different powders.
 Green component can be manufactured in different ways:
tape casting,
slip casting,
extrusion,
injection molding
cold-/hot- compaction.
 Green component is then fired/sintered to get final product
 Tape casting
 It is also known as doctor blade process.
 Used for making thin ceramic tapes.
 In this process slurry of ceramic powder + binders +
plasticizers is spread over plastic substrate.
 Tape is then dried using hot air
 Later tape is subjected to binder burnout and sintering
 Slip casting
 The aqueous slurry of ceramic powder is poured into plaster of
Paris mold.
 As water begins to move out due to capillary action, thick mass
builds along mold wall.
 It is possible to form solid piece by pouring more slurry.
 Types of Plastics
Thermoplastics
A thermoplastic is a polymeric material or plastic that becomes
soft and formable when heated and rigid when cooled. This
process may be repeated a number of times without chemically
altering the material.
examples of thermoplastics
Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene,
polybenzimidazole, acrylic, nylon and Teflon are
Thermosetting plastics
A thermoset is a polymeric material that undergoes irreversible
chemical changes when it is cured through heat, catalysts, or
ultraviolet light. Cross-linking prevents movement of molecular
chains after curing. Once cured, the structure cannot be altered.
examples of thermosetting plastics
epoxy resin, melamine formaldehyde, polyester resin and urea
formaldehyde.
 Thermoplastics
 The material that softens when heated above the glass transition
temperature or melting temperature and becomes hard after
cooling is called thermoplastics.
 Thermoplastics can be reversibly melted by heating and
solidified by cooling in limited number of cycles without
affecting the mechanical properties.
 On increasing the number of recycling of thermoplastics may
result in color degradation, there by affecting their appearance and
properties.
 In the molten state, they are liquids, and in the mushy state they
are glassy or partially crystalline.
 The molecules are joined end-to-end into a series of long
chains, each chain being independent of the other.
 Above the melting temperature, all crystalline structure disappears
and the long chain becomes randomly scattered.
 Thermoplastics
 With the application of heat, thermoplastic softens and it can be
molded into desired shapes.
 Some thermoplastics can be joined with the application of heat
and pressure.
 joining of thermoplastics: mechanical fastening, fusion bonding,
hot gas welding, solvent bonding, ultrasonic welding, induction
welding, and dielectric welding.
 The different types of thermoplastic are: Acrylonitrile Butadiene
Styrene (ABS), Acetals, Acrylics, Cellulosics, Fluorocarbons,
Polyamides, Polycarbonates, Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylenes
(PP), Polystyrenes, Polyetheretherketone, Polyvinyl Chloride
(PVC), Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP), Polyphenylene Sulphide
(PPS) and Vinyls
Applications
dashboards and car trims, toys, phones, handles, electrical products,
bearings, gears, rope, hinges and catches, cables, hoses etc
 Thermosets
 The property of material becoming permanently hard and rigid
after cooling when heated above the melting temperature is
called thermosets.
 The solidification process of plastics is known as curing.
 The transformation from the liquid state to the solid state is
irreversible process, further heating of thermosets result only in
the chemical decomposition.
 It means that the thermosets can’t be recycled.
 During curing, the small molecules are chemically linked together
to form complex inter-connected network structures.This cross-
linking prevents the slippage of individual chains.
 Therefore, the mechanical properties (tensile strength,
compressive strength, and hardness) are not temperature
dependent, as compared to thermoplastics.
 Thermosets are generally stronger than the thermoplastics.
 Thermosets
 The joining of thermosets by thermal processes like ultrasonic
welding, laser welding, and gas welding is not possible, but
mechanical fastening and adhesive bonding may be used for low
strength applications.
 The different types of thermosets are Alkyds, Allylics, Amine,
Bakelite, Epoxy, Phenolic (PF), Polyester, Silicone,
Polyurethane (PUR), and Vinyl Ester.
 Applications
Thermosets are commonly used for high temperature
applications.
electrical equipments, motor brush holders, printed circuit boards,
circuit breakers, encapsulation, kitchen utensils, handles and knobs,
and spectacle lenses.
 Molecular structure
Molecular structure of thermoplastics

Molecular structure of thermosets

 Injection Moulding
 Thermoplastic or Thermoset plastic heated at control
temperature inside the screw pump (a combination of screw &
barrel).
 It is then forced under pressure through a nozzle into sprue,
runners, gates and cavities of mould.
 Types of products: Spools, bobbin, bottle caps, automotive parts,
gem clips, crates, buckets etc
 Blow Moulding
 An extruded pairs on tube of heated thermoplastics is positioned
between two halves of an open split mould.
 It is inflated against the sides of the closed mould using air
pressure.
 Types of Products: Bottles, Containers, Air ducts, Panels,
Portable toilets, Arm rests, tanks, gas tanks.
 Types of Blow moulding machine:
1. Extrusion Blow moulding
2. Injection Blow moulding
3. Stretch Blow moulding
 Extrusion Blow moulding
 In extrusion blow molding (EBM), plastic is melted and extruded
into a hollow tube.
 This tube is then captured by closing it into a cooled metal mold.
 Air is then blown into the tube, inflating it into the shape of the
hollow bottle, container or part.
 After the plastic has cooled sufficiently, the mold is opened and the
part is ejected.
 Injection Blow moulding
 It is used for the production of hollow glass and plastic objects in
large quantities.
 The blow molding process begins with melting down the plastic
and forming it.
 The parison is a tube-like piece of plastic with a hole in one end
through which compressed air can pass.
 Stretch Blow moulding
 In this process, the plastic is first molded into a "preform" using
the injection molding process.
 The preforms are heated (typically using infrared heaters) above
their glass transition temperature.
 Preforms are then blown using high pressure air into bottles using
metal blow molds.
 The preform is always stretched with a core rod as part of the
process.
 In the single-stage process both preform manufacture and bottle
blowing are performed in the same machine.
 Extrusion Process
 It is continues Process.
 Thermoplastic moulding compound/material is fed from a hopper
to a screw pump where it is to plasticated.
 then it is pumped out through the shaping orifice (die) to achieve
desired cross section.
 Types of products: Films, Pipes, Strapping, Sheets, Multilayer
films, Profiles etc.
 Compression Moulding
 Thermoset compound, usually preformed, is positioned in a
heated mould cavity.
 Then the mould is closed with the application of heat and
pressure.
 The material flows and fills the mould cavity.
 Heat completes polymerization and identification the part of
ejected.
 Types of Products: Plugs, sockets, handles, Engine Casing
switches, cistern
 Transfer Moulding
 Thermoset moulding compound is fed into transfer chamber
where it is then heated to plasticated.
 It is then fed by a plunge through sprue, runners, and gates into a
closed mould where it cures.
 The mould is opened and part ejected.
 Types of Products: Plugs, Sockets, Handles, Engine Casing
Switches, Cistern etc.
 Thermoforming Moulding
 Heat-softened thermoplastic sheet is positioned over male or
female mould.
 air is evacuated between sheet and mould, forcing sheet to
conform to contour of mould.
 Types of Products: House wares, Ducts, Toys, Refrigerator panels,
Boat windshields etc.
 Calendering
 Dough-consistent thermoplastic mass is formed into a sheet of
uniform thickness by passing it through and over a series of
heated or cooled rolls.
 Calenders are also utilized to apply plastic covering to the backs
of other materials.
 Types of Products: Luggage, Rain wear, Tank lining, Credit
cards, Trays, Helmet liner etc.