Grand challenges in ceramics processing

Abstract

How important are ceramic materials in today’s world? Certainly, very! Every sector of technology, science and common life would not be what it is without the presence of ceramics. Probably, this depends on the very meaning of ceramic; for example, according to the definition proposed by ASTM International (ASTM C1145-19, 2019), an advanced ceramic material is a highly engineered, high performance, predominately non-metallic and inorganic, material having specific functional attributes. But if we think about it, this implies that everything that is not a metal or a polymer is a ceramic material! From aeronautics to space applications, from advanced mechanics to sensors, from automotive to energy systems, from medicine to electronics, from telecommunications to safety devices, from kitchenware to constructions, from optics to nuclear power, ceramic materials are everywhere (Carter and Norton, 2013). About 25,000 years ago our ancestors had learned to produce ceramic manufacts starting from very fine powders collected from specific clayey sediments (Vandiver et al., 1989); these, suitably mixed with water, could shape objects which, once heated to relatively high temperature, turned out to be very hard, almost like stones. Therefore, the basics of ceramic processing (i.e., powders, slurries or pastes, firing) have been known since ancient times. However, the development of innumerable applications in diverse sectors, especially in the last century, has prompted the development of process technologies obtaining ceramic materials with specific shapes, dimensions and functions requirements, all while keeping an attentive eye on the use of resources, above all, energy.