OVERVIEW

The course is an introduction to the preparation, properties, structure and applications of ceramic materials. Chemical transformations and lattice defects are also considered, in view of microstructure and functional properties optimization. The second part of the course covers ceramic materials used in solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers,  with a detailed description of the structural requirements and of the ionic conductivity of the state-of-art materials. The course language is Italian, while slides and bibliography are 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:

• learn about the different types of ceramic materials, in particular those used in energy transformation and storage
• define the parameters of a forming and sintering process
• know the correlation between structure and microstructure and mechanical and functional properties (mechanical resistance, electrical conductivity, thermal, magnetic and optical properties) of ceramics
• know the main chemical-physical investigation techniques and be able to apply them critically to the specific problem

PREREQUISITES

Basic Chemistry, Mathematic, Physics

TEACHING METHODS

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

In the first semester 2021, updates will be released through the UniGe website.

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Federico Scarpa (federico.scarpa@unige.it ), the Polytechnic School's disability liaison.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course analyzes the fundamental relationships between manufacturing processes, microstructure, crystalline defects, and functional properties of advanced ceramic materials. The curriculum adopts a perspective strongly oriented toward the energy transition and decarbonisation, exploring key materials and modeling approaches for the hydrogen economy and grid-scale energy storage. The programme is structured into the following thematic areas:

1. Structure of ceramic materials, vitreous state and phase thermodynamics

• Introduction and classification: evolution from traditional to advanced ceramics (structural and functional); selection criteria and an overview of the global manufacturing process.
• Structural properties: chemical bonding, main crystalline structures of engineering interest, and stability criteria for ionic solids (Pauling's rules).
• Vitreous state and amorphous ceramics: glass transition, structure, and properties of glasses and glass-ceramics of technological interest (e.g., high-temperature sealants).
• Phase equilibria: thermodynamic review of binary phase diagrams and a phenomenological introduction to ternary systems relevant to ceramic materials.

2. Process engineering, manufacturing technologies and laboratory activities

• Manufacturing and forming technologies: techniques for the preparation, milling and particle size characterization of commercial ceramic powders; colloid chemistry and suspension stability (rheology and additives); main green body forming methodologies for advanced ceramic components (e.g., pressing, slip casting, extrusion).
• Guided experimental activity: practical laboratory introduction to forming techniques for advanced ceramic materials, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dilatometry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) applied to the microstructural characterization of green and sintered bodies.
• Densification phenomena: thermodynamics of sintering; kinetic models of mass transport in the solid state and in the presence of a liquid phase; control of grain growth and structural porosity evolution.

3. Lattice defects, mechanical properties and charge transport

• Mechanical behavior of ceramics: brittle fracture mechanisms, statistical approach (Weibull probability model), and microstructural strategies for toughening advanced ceramics.
• Defect chemistry in ionic solids: lattice defectology and Kröger-Vink notation; thermodynamic modeling of defect reactions as a function of the surrounding gaseous atmosphere, and an operational introduction to Brouwer diagrams.
• Transport Phenomena: Correlation between structural defects and ionic, electronic, and mixed ionic-electronic conduction (MIEC) properties in functional ceramics.

4. Advanced ceramics in the new energy landscape

• Technologies for hydrogen and decarbonization (SOFC/SOEC): thermodynamics, advanced ceramic materials, and electrodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) and Solid Oxide Electrolyser Cells (SOEC). Electrochemical modeling of overpotentials (ohmic, activation, and concentration); degradation mechanisms and technological challenges for Power-to-Gas systems and seasonal energy storage.
• Other Applications for the Energy Transition: Overview of ceramics for electrochemical storage (solid-state batteries), ceramic membranes for gas separation and carbon capture, piezoelectric systems, and high-temperature materials (gas turbines).

COURSE STRUCTURE BY ECTS (CFU)

• Programme for 6 ECTS pathways (MSc in Materials Science / BSc in Chemical Engineering):
  Requires the full completion of all modules, including the 10 hours of practical laboratory and manufacturing activities. Assessment demands higher analytical rigor regarding defect chemistry modeling (Brouwer diagrams) and a deep understanding of structure-property correlations across all application case studies (SOFC, SOEC, membranes, and batteries).
• Programme for 5 ECTS pathways (MSc in Chemical and Process Engineering):
  The curriculum is adjusted to fit the reduced hours: while the 10-hour manufacturing and laboratory module remains unchanged, the theoretical treatment of ternary diagrams and defect chemistry is limited to purely phenomenological aspects. The lecturer's hours will focus primarily on technologies of direct interest to process engineers (specifically, the integration of SOFC/SOEC into energy plants, Power-to-Gas systems, and gas separation membranes).

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

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/en/corsi/10375/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The final exam consists both of a written and an oral test, with the aim of assessing the training objectives achievement. The written test proposes questions and exercises on topics carried out during the class. The oral examination consists of a topic presentation chosen by the candidate and the formulation of a question by the examiner.

Students with SLD, disability or other special educational needs certification are advised to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and exam methods that, in compliance with the teaching objectives, take into account the modalities learning opportunities and provide suitable compensatory tools.

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 to obtain desired performance or behavior will be assessed.

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, laboratory activity is subject to university requirements.