Course content

Three main topics will be given: Properties of ceramics, processing with the aim to obtain designed properties and the basis for design with ceramics. Properties: Elasticity, hardness, strength, fracture toughness and creep in relation to composition and microstructure (grain size, secondary phases, porosity) in addition to thermal properties. Processing: Synthetic ceramic powders, stabilization of dispersions, forming by pressing, casting, extrusion and injection molding, sintering and heat treatment. Design: Principles for design with brittle materials, Weibull statistics, analysis of fracture and reinforcement of ceramics.

Learning outcome

The course aims at giving the students gives an introduction to modern ceramics technology. The students should achieve knowledge about typical properties of ceramic materials and how these are measured, how ceramic parts with a given stoichiomerty can be made and which considerations has to be made with respect to design with ceramics.

Learning methods and activities

The teaching is based on lectures, exercises and an obligatory project work. 50% of the exercises are mandatory and should be approved. Final grade in the course is based on portfolio assessment. The portfolio includes written final examination (75%) and an obligatory project work (25%). The evaluation of the different parts is given in %points while the final grade for the whole folder is given by a letter grade. If there is a re-sit examination, the examination form may be changed from written to oral.

Compulsory assignments

• Exercises
• Project assignment

Recommended previous knowledge

None.

Course materials

D. W. Richerson: Modern Ceramic Engineering. Properties, Processing and Use in Design, Taylor and Francis, 2006.
Compendium, "TMT4145 Keramisk materialvitenskap", Tapir akademisk forlag, Trondheim.

Credit reductions