Silicon Based Structural Ceramics For The New Millennium

This volume focuses on recent scientific and technological developments in silicon-based (i.e., silicon nitride, SiAlONs, silicon carbide, silicon oxynitride) structural ceramics. Authors from academia and industry assess the current state of the art in slilicon-based structual ceramics. Industrial case studies are advocated to highlight the development and application of these materials in real engineering environments. Proceedings of the symposium held at the 104th Annual Meeting of The American Ceramic Society, April 28-May1, 2002 in Missouri; Ceramic Transactions, Volume 142.

This volume focuses on recent scientific and technological developments in silicon-based (i.e., silicon nitride, SiAlONs, silicon carbide, silicon oxynitride) structural ceramics. Authors from academia and industry assess the current state of the art in slilicon-based structual ceramics. Industrial case studies are advocated to highlight the development and application of these materials in real engineering environments.

This book details the forum that was held by the National Materials Advisory Board at the National Academy of Sciences. The purpose of this forum was to bring the importance of materials to the attention of policy makers and to promote interactions between policy makers and the materials community. Four key themes were addressed: the critical role of materials in advancing technology and enhancing the nation's economy, security, and health, industrial and societal needs that will require materials development in the new millennium. Materials research areas with the greatest potential for meeting those needs, and federal and industrial research initiatives that can help the materials community meet those needs. To help focus this discussion, special sessions were convened to address the current and future roles of materials in four selected areas: information technology, health and biotechnology, national security, and energy and the environment.

A survey of current research on a wide range of carbide, nitride and boride materials, covering the general issues relevant to the development and characterisation of a variety of advanced materials. Topics include structure and electronic properties, modeling, processing, high-temperature chemistry, oxidation and corrosion, mechanical behaviour, manufacturing and applications. The volume complements more specialised books on specific materials as well as more general texts on ceramics or hard materials, presenting a survey of materials research as a key to technological development. After decades of research, the materials are being used in electronics, wear resistant, refractory and other applications, but numerous new applications are possible. Roughly equal numbers of papers cover theoretical and experimental research in the general field of materials science of refractory materials. Audience: Researchers and graduate students in materials science and engineering.

Reviews production methods, microstructures, and properties of structural ceramics with important applications, including high voltage insulators, hot gas filters, machining tools, and hip joint replacements.