Grinding of industrial intermediates and various analytical samples is carried out by applying continuous abrasive force to reduce the size of particles, or to blend heterogeneous materials together. This can be carried out with hydraulic and pneumatic systems, but one of the oldest methods of grinding involves the use of milling media to repeatedly impact material and cause particles to decompose through mechanical attrition.Continue reading
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Aluminium (Al) and its alloys are susceptible to a unique form of chemical corrosion known as hydrogen-induced cracking, which is caused by gradual diffusion of hydrogen (H) molecules through the metal’s crystal lattice. This creates a localised flaw within the alloy that can significantly impair both its tensile strength and ductility, thus increasing the risk of surface fracture. While solid, the hydrogen solubility of aluminium is negligible. Molten aluminium, however, is an incredibly reactive substance that actively decomposes moisture to produce hydrogen (H).Continue reading
Ceramics are still widely associated with the elegant yet brittle shapes of traditional manufacturing, despite the astronomic strides that materials scientists and engineers have made over the last two and a half centuries. This is primarily due to the schism between commercial and technical ceramic materials. Retail ceramics retain a flair for aesthetics over functionality, which has roots in Romantic-era pottery and ancient porcelain. These products retain that traditional sense of style and continue to dominate the general public’s perception of what ceramics are capable of.Continue reading
A car engine block can weigh anything from 90 kilograms (kg) to over half a tonne without its associated parts, such as the power train or other directly connected components. The weight of the vehicle is one of the defining factors in its overall performance and efficiency, and reducing the weight profiles of integral components has been an ongoing challenge for advanced engineering of modern vehicles.Continue reading
At International Syalons, we have explored the mechanical properties of silicon nitride (Si3N4) at great length. Silicon nitride is an advanced engineering ceramic that circumvents many of the conventional drawbacks of numerous oxide ceramics. Outstanding fracture toughness and high moduli of both rupture and elasticity impart excellent resistance to multiple wearing phenomena. This enables silicon nitride-based ceramics to withstand severe operating conditions that may cause comparatively brittle ceramics to propagate flaws, deform, or fail.Continue reading
High strength ceramic materials are pervasively utilized in demanding industrial applications, owing to their unique thermomechanical characteristics. Typically, advanced ceramics exhibit tightly-bound granular structures with extremely dense microstructural arrangements. This imparts varying levels of material strength and resistance to chemical attack, depending on the distinct chemical makeup of the ceramic.Continue reading
Silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics have outstanding thermal shock resistance and high temperature strength values, exceeding many technical ceramics in terms of their resistance to thermodynamic stress. The main challenge associated with manufacturing silicon nitride for industrial applications is of cost-effectively achieving full densification of green-bodies. Hot pressing methods yield fully-dense, high performance technical ceramics but at excessive costs.Continue reading
Silicon nitride (Si3N4) is one of the most advanced engineering ceramics on the market, providing an outstanding blend of mechanical and thermal properties. Each individual member of the Si3N4 ceramic family is comprised of silicon (Si) and nitrogen (N) in a densely-packed atomic arrangement of high-strength intra-structural covalent bonds. This provides the basis for the material’s high thermal and mechanical performance, as well as interesting electrical properties which can be tailored to specific applications.Continue reading
Technical ceramics are ubiquitous in industrial manufacturing with a storied history of innovation and versatility. Manufacturers of some of the most hard-wearing and high-strength engineered ceramics worldwide are committed to pushing the letter with regards to what these novel materials are capable of. This has included minutely altering the chemical composition of raw materials to reduce the manufacturing costs of high-performance ceramics such as silicon nitride, with negligible impacts to the material’s physical properties. More recent innovations have included fabricating electrically-conductive silicon nitride for electro-discharge machining (EDM). Yet the industry at large is primarily focussed on realising the potential of ceramic 3D printing.Continue reading