CERAMIC COMPOSITES/FINE STRUCTURES

Composites are materials made up from distinct parts. The base materials are often unremarkable. When combined with other materials or processed in specific ways properties can be improved. Ceramic Composites do for ordinary ceramics what plywood does for soft pine or fiberglass does for plastic. Material selection and processing can produce a composite with corrosion resistance and high strength.

For more information contact Ted Besmann or Beth Armstrong.

In many cases, the surface of a part is required to perform a different function from the whole part. A turbine blade must be strong, but the surface must resist dust impact or corrosion. Pellets in a catalytic converter provide the surface area, but only the surface needs to be composed of platinum. It can be cost prohibitive to produce an entire part from exotic materials. The answer is to develop a coating.

For more information contact Allen Haynes or Ted Besmann.

POWDER METALLURGY

Single or multiple metals and oxides can be combined using pressure and heat to produce unique materials. Desired properties such as density, porosity, and chemistry can be controlled by powder metallurgy techniques. Dies can also be designed to produce a part to finished shape.

For more information contact Rick Lowden.

THERMOCHEMICAL MODELING

When or how much of a desired element will go into a solution depends on the temperature of a process. Anyone who has tried to sweeten cold tea and hot coffee with sugar has experienced the effect temperature has on solubility. The same principles hold true for molten metals and ceramics. Thermodynamics seeks to define temperature parameters within chemical systems so desired compounds can be produced without expensive trial-and-error.

For more information contact Ted Besmann