Course detail

Ceramic Materials

FSI-WPK Acad. year: 2027/2028 Winter semester

The course provides a comprehensive overview of ceramic materials, focusing on the relationships between their chemical composition, structure, microstructure, processing methods, and resulting properties. Attention is paid to the classification of ceramic materials, the nature of chemical bonding, and basic and complex crystal structures, including the structure of glasses and glass-ceramics. Structural defects, dislocations, interfaces, and their influence on the properties of ceramic materials are also discussed. A significant part of the course focuses on phase diagrams, the kinetics of phase transformations and chemical reactions, sintering processes, grain growth, and microstructural evolution. Subsequently, the physical, thermal, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic properties of ceramic materials are examined, including strengthening and toughening mechanisms aimed at improving their mechanical performance and fracture toughness. The final part of the course focuses on selected groups of ceramic materials, their characteristic properties, and potential practical applications.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Supervisor

doc. Ing. Daniel Drdlík, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Materials Science and Engineering

Entry knowledge

Students should have completed the course Nonmetallic materials and possess a basic university-level understanding of physics, chemical thermodynamics, kinetics, and the synthesis of ceramic materials.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

To obtain course credit, students are required to attend all practical classes and successfully complete all assigned tasks. If a student fails to meet these requirements, an alternative arrangement may be offered in justified cases.

The examination assesses the student's theoretical knowledge and is conducted orally unless otherwise specified by the course instructor.

Aims

The aim of the course is to provide students with advanced theoretical knowledge of ceramic materials, their structure, properties, and the mechanisms governing their behavior under various loading and environmental conditions. Emphasis is placed on understanding the relationships between chemical composition, the nature of chemical bonding, crystal structure, microstructure, processing methods, and the resulting properties of ceramic materials. Students will become familiar with the principles of phase transformations, sintering, microstructural evolution, and the mechanisms influencing the physical, thermal, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic properties of ceramics. The acquired knowledge will enable students to analyze and interpret the behavior of ceramic materials, evaluate the influence of their structure and microstructure on functional properties, and apply these principles to the selection, design, and optimization of ceramic materials for specific engineering applications.

The study programmes with the given course

Programme N-MTI-P: Materials Engineering, Master's, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Syllabus


  1. Introduction – classification of ceramic materials

  2. Bonds in ceramic materials and their influence on final properties

  3. Basic and complex crystal structures of ceramics

  4. Structure of glasses and glass-ceramics

  5. Defects, dislocations, and interfaces in ceramic materials

  6. Phase diagrams and kinetics of phase transformations and chemical reactions in ceramic materials

  7. Sintering and grain growth in ceramic materials

  8. Microstructure of ceramic materials

  9. Physical and thermal properties of ceramic materials

  10. Mechanical properties of ceramic materials

  11. Toughening mechanisms in ceramic materials

  12. Electrical and magnetic properties of ceramic materials

  13. Selected types of ceramic materials

Laboratory exercise

13 hours, compulsory

Syllabus


  1. Introduction to practical classes

  2. Materials detective

  3. Chemical bonding as a predictive tool

  4. Crystallography laboratory

  5. Designing glass with tailored properties

  6. „Defect“ engineering

  7. Phase diagrams as maps for materials processing

  8. Why did the ceramic material fail to sinter?

  9. Microstructure under the microscope

  10. Ceramics at extreme temperatures

  11. Why did the ceramic component fail?

  12. Functional ceramics design