Ceramic engineering

Ceramic engineering is a type of engineering that focuses on making and using materials called ceramics. Ceramics are solid materials that are not metal and are made by heating certain kinds of powders or mixtures to very high temperatures. Once they are heated, they become very hard and strong. Ceramics have some special qualities. They can withstand heat, do not rust, do not wear out easily, and are good at blocking electricity. Because of this, they are used in many important things, like space shuttles, electronic parts, medical tools, and even kitchenware like plates and tiles. Ceramic engineering uses ideas from science and engineering, including chemistry, physics, and mechanical engineering, to figure out how to make better ceramics and use them in new ways. It is a field that helps build materials for modern technology and tough environments.^[1][2]

Simulation of the outside of the Space Shuttle as it heats up to over 1,500 °C (2,730 °F) during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere

Bearing components made from 100% silicon nitride Si₃N₄

Ceramic bread knife

In the past, the word ceramics mostly meant things like pottery, tiles, bricks, porcelain, and glass. People have been making these kinds of items for over 10,000 years using clay and heat. These traditional ceramics were mainly used for cooking, building, and decoration. But today, ceramic engineering has grown to include a much more advanced group of materials called advanced ceramics or technical ceramics. These are special materials that are carefully designed to do very specific jobs in factories, machines, and electronics. Some examples of advanced ceramics are alumina, zirconia, silicon carbide, and boron nitride. These materials are stronger, can handle more heat, and work better with electricity than old-style ceramics. Engineers use them in things like medical implants, airplane engines, computer chips, and spacecraft.^[3][4][5][6]

Ceramic engineering became much more important in the 1900s when new fields like electronics, space travel, and nuclear power started to grow. These areas needed special materials that could handle high heat, block electricity, or resist radiation, things that ceramics are really good at. For example, ceramics were used as insulators in electronic devices, heat shields on rockets, and protection in nuclear power plants. Today, ceramic engineers help create parts for all kinds of advanced technology. They work on things like fuel cells (used for clean energy), computer chips, medical implants, lasers, armor, and jet engines. One big breakthrough is ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). These are super-strong ceramic materials used in jet engines. They can handle much higher temperatures than metals, making engines lighter and more efficient.^[7][8]

Ceramic engineering uses many special methods to shape and improve ceramic materials. Some of these methods include sintering (heating powders to make them stick together), hot pressing (applying heat and pressure at the same time), and slip casting (pouring liquid clay into molds). These processes help engineers control the inside structure of the ceramic, which affects how strong, tough, or heat-resistant it is. Engineers also pay attention to things like the size of the grains in the material, how many tiny holes (pores) it has, and how it expands with heat. These details help them design ceramics that would not crack or break under pressure or extreme temperatures. New technologies like nanotechnology (working with super tiny particles) and 3D printing of ceramics are opening exciting new doors. They allow scientists to create custom shapes and high-performance parts for special uses in areas like space travel, medicine, and electronics.^{[9][10][11][12][13]}

Ceramic engineering research is always growing and involves ideas from many areas of science, like chemistry, physics, and biology. Today’s ceramic materials are made to do more than just one job. Some can produce electricity when squeezed (called piezoelectric), carry electricity with no resistance (superconducting), react to magnets, or even work safely inside the human body (bioactive).^[14][15][16] For example, a ceramic called hydroxyapatite is used to help repair broken bones, because it is safe for the body and similar to what bones are made of.^[17] Another type, called perovskite, is important for green energy, like in solar panels and batteries that do not use liquids.^[18] Some ceramics can even be made see-through, extremely hard, or able to resist harsh chemicals.^[19] These special features make ceramics useful in defense (like armor), electronics, optics (like camera lenses), and even space travel.^[20][21]

Ceramic engineering is taught at colleges and universities all over the world. It is usually part of a bigger field called materials science and engineering, which studies how different materials are made and used. Students learn how to create and test ceramics for all kinds of uses, from electronics to medicine.^[22] There are also professional groups, like the American Ceramic Society (ACerS) and the European Ceramic Society (ECerS), that support scientists and engineers working with ceramics. These groups help people share new discoveries through magazines, conferences, and team projects with industries. Together, schools, scientists, and companies are always working to make better and more eco-friendly ceramics that can be used in the high-tech world of the 21st century.^[23][24]