Ceramic and colloidal processing

Summary

The course covers the production of ceramics and colloids from the basic scientific concepts and theories needed to understand the forming processes to the mechanisms and methods of sintering (firing) ceramics. Including the scientific principles behind the formation of colloidal dispersions.

Content

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Keywords

Ceramics, colloids, forming, interparticle interactions, sintering, powder characterisation, processing, steric stabilization, adsorption, powder synthesis.

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

General physics;

General inorganic chemistry;

Mathematical analysis;

Introduction to materials;

Recommended courses

Thermodynamics for materials science

Important concepts to start the course

chemical bonds; phase transitions;thermodynamics; microstructure of materials; statistics, tranfer phenomena

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

• Apply The acquired notions of the dispersion of particulate matter for any application.
• Produce Acquired the knowledge, skills and practice necessary to produce a ceramic in an industrial environment or a laboratory
• Choose To produce a ceramic of a particular geometry in connection with an application.
• Demonstrate Understand he colloidal stability of a suspension using the DLVO theory.
• Describe Assess the key characteristics of a ceramic powder needed to make a ceramic
• Explain Explain the mechanisms behind the different sintering phenomena.
• Describe Know the different methods of synthesizing a ceramic powder.

Transversal skills

• Use both general and domain specific IT resources and tools
• Take responsibility for health and safety of self and others in a working context.
• Negotiate effectively within the group.
• Give feedback (critique) in an appropriate fashion.
• Take feedback (critique) and respond in an appropriate manner.

Teaching methods

Lectures and exercises in class (3 h). Exercises with calculation will be done in class and they will serve as typical example of questions during the oral exam. Nevertheless, during the oral exam no calculations will be required but a clear understanding of concepts and the logical connections of the arguments of the course.

Expected student activities

Attendance of lectures, doing exercises during class and at home, reading written material, active participation to discussions during classes.

Assessment methods

The final grade is attributed based on the final oral exam and the active participation during lectures. "Plus" (+) is assigned during third hour based questions and replies. An example will be given during the first class. (+++) will count in the final grade as +0.5 max.

Oral exam will start with a free topic, among those proposed during the course.

Additional information:

During the classes, mainly at the third hour, the major concepts of the slides presented that day will be summarized. Students are asked to formulate questions on the topic of that day. The questions are then used to initiate a discussion among students. Questions and discussion will be assessed providing "+" to students. No "-" are considered in any circumstances. During the oral exam the gained + will be evaluated as follow: +++ = 0.50; ++ = 0.25 . The gained points will be added to the grade achieved at the oral exam.

Example:

Oral exam: 4.5

Participation to discussion: ++

Final grade: 4.75

 

Resources

Bibliography

English

The Colloidal Domain: where physics, chemistry, biology, and technology meet.  D. F. Evans and H. Wennerström. Wiley-VCM, New York, Year:1999. ISBN:0-471-24247-0

CERAMIC PROCESSING AND SINTERING  M. N. Rahaman Taylor & Francis, London, 2003 0: ISBN - 10-8247-0988-8

French

Traité des Matériaux, vol 16, Céramiques et Verres, Principes et techniques d'élaboration, J-M Haussonne, C.P.Carry, P. Bowen, J. Barton, Press Polytechnique et Universitaires Romandes2005

Ressources en bibliothèque

• The Colloidal Domain: where physics, chemistry, biology, and technology meet/ Evans
• Céramiques et verres : principes et techniques d'élaboration / Haussonne

Notes/Handbook

Copy of slides presented during lectures; Written text based on lectures.

Moodle Link

• https://go.epfl.ch/MSE-326