OVERVIEW

The course is an introduction on the preparation, properties, structure and applications of ceramic materials. The study of the main stages of the ceramic process allows obtaining optimised structures and properties, in view of different applications.A second part of the course concerns ceramic materials used in a solid oxide fuel cell and electrolyzer going into details of the structural requirements and on the ionic conductivity  of the state-of-art materials. The course is held in English.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Crystal structure of ceramic. Phase diagrams for ceramist. Sintering. Synthesis of highly dispersed ceramic materials. Dense ceramic materials. Structural, electronic and thermal properties. Defects and thermodynamic control of vacancy concentration. Functional properties (electric, magnetic and environmental).Ceramic process and industrial applications

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The frequency and active participation in the proposed training activities (lectures, exercises and numerical exercises) and individual study will allow the student to:

have a basic knowledge of the structure and microstructure of glass and ceramic materials

understand the correlation between structure, microstructure, properties and applications;

know the different types of ceramic mat., with particular attention to the materials used in SOFCs.

provide the necessary elements to understand the mechanical and functional properties and resistance to degradation in operating conditions. Provide the chemical-physical knowledge necessary to direct the production process towards the desired properties.

PREREQUISITES

Basic Chemistry, Mathematic, Physic

TEACHING METHODS

Frontal teaching, class and laboratory training. Teams will be used in case of distance teaching.

In the first semester 2020, indications of University will be followed,

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Definition of ceramics, classification (traditional and advanced ceramic), elementary crystallography, general characteristic of ceramic materials, the stages of ceramic process.

Structural properties: crystal structure of ceramics, bonds, Pauling rule’s.

Silica polymorphism, structure of silicate, clay minerals.

Defect chemistry, Kroger-Vink notation and formulation of reaction equations. Thermodynamic control of vacancy concentration

Glass structure, Zachariasen rules, network forming, network modifier.

Glass formation, properties and effect of composition on glass characteristic, nucleation and growth, glass-ceramics.

Phase diagrams: phase rule, one-component systems, binary systems, ternary systems, lever rule, free-energy composition and temperature diagrams. Binary cases of interest for ceramist.

Examples of isopletal cooling and heating on ternary diagram of the most important ceramic system.

Ceramic processing: method of powder preparation, comminution, Particle size analysis, particle size distribution, packing of powders for refractory and advanced ceramic.

Stability of suspension, wetting, additive. General ceramic forming principles. Drying, Debonding and Firing.

Densification and coarsening: transport mechanism at the initial stage of sintering. Intermediate and final stage of sintering, grain growth and pore elimination. Sintering in presence of liquid phases

Operating principles of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and electrolysers (SOECs).

Cells design and features.

Defects and conductivity in the crystal structures of the state-of-art electrodes and electrolytes (perovskite- and fluorite-based materials).

Requirements and targets for intermediate-temperature SOFCs.

Degradation problems.

New families of materials.

Laboratory training:  Green forming, Thermogravimetry, Dilatometry, SEM.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

W.D. Kingery, H.K. Bowen, D.R. Uhlmann, Introduction to Ceramics, John Wiley & Sons.

A.J. Moulson & J.M. Herbert, Electroceramics, Chapman & Hall.

M.W. Barsoum,  Fundamentals of Ceramics

Y M  Chiang, D. Birnie III, W. D. Kyngery , Physical Ceramics

Introduction to Phase Equilibria in Ceramics

J.S. Reed, Principles of Ceramic Processing

• Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Materials Properties and Performance, CRC Press, Edited by J. W. Fergus et al.
• Fuel Cell Systems, Plenum Press, Edited by L. J. M. J. Blomen and M. N. Mugerwa

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

RODOLFO BOTTER (President)

MARIA PAOLA CARPANESE (President Substitute)

MASSIMO VIVIANI (Substitute)

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam. The student will be asked to speak on a topic of his choice. On this topic clarificatios will be asked if necessary. A second question will be asked on another topic of course.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam is designed to verify the student's knowledge of the main characteristics of ceramic materials and the understanding of the relationships between chemical composition, structure and microstructure, parameters of the production process and the mechanical and functional properties of the materials. The clarity and precision of the exhibition, the knowledge and understanding of the topics presented, as well as the student's ability to make a choice between different materials or to make change in the production process in order to obtain desired performance or behavior will be assessed.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Unless otherwise indicated by the University or Council Course Study, the frontal teaching will be carried out through Teams.

In the first semester of 2020-21, laboratory activity is subject to university requirements.