A short introduction in Ceramic Nano-Technology
Ceramic materials are usually prepared by either solid-state reactions, or by precipitation from solution and subsequent decomposition. Solid-state reactions of ceramics involve the mixing of constituent metal oxides, carbonates, etc., and their repeated heating and grinding. To improve physical properties of the final product, there is an increasing demand to control the product particle size, stoichiometry, homogeneity and purity. Thus, alternate routes to the conventional methods of the synthesis of ceramic materials that give superior properties are devised. These new approaches are the soft chemical methods by which the ceramic materials are prepared at considerably low temperatures compared to solid-state reactions [1].
Soft chemical routes are now increasingly becoming important to prepare a variety of oxides including nanocrystalline oxide materials. It makes use of simple chemical reactions like coprecipitation, ion exchange, hydrolysis, acid leaching, and sol–gel. Sol-gel proves supreme success in the preparation of ceramic materials with control of stoichiometry, final particle size and the crystalline phase [2].
It is essential for the synthesis of ceramic products to prepare finer powder for the ultimate processing and better sintering; with the intention of achieving dense materials of fine-grained microstructure with better and useful properties for various applications. More is the fineness; more is the surface area, which increases the ‘reactivity’ of the material. Therefore, the densification or consolidation occurs very well at lower temperature than that of conventional micrometer-particulate systems. Moreover, those dense microstructures improve the properties of materials like abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, electrical properties, optical properties and magnetic properties. Nano-technology is developed for these reasons. It is an advanced technology, which deals with the synthesis of nano-particles, processing of the nano materials and their applications. Normally, if the particle sizes are in the 1-100 nm ranges, they are generally called nano-particles or materials [3].
References:
[1]: Patil K. C., Hegde M. S., Rattan T. and Aruna S. T., "Chemistry of Nanocrystalline Oxide Materials: Combustion Synthesis, Properties and Applications", chp.1, World Scientific Publishing Co., 2008
[2]: Chen Q. and Souter A. M., "Progress on Nanoceramics by Sol Gel Process", Key. Eng. Mat., Vol. 391, pp. 79-95, 2009
[3]: Bandyopadhyay, A. K., "Nano Materials", New Age International Publishers, Chp1, 2008
Ceramic materials are usually prepared by either solid-state reactions, or by precipitation from solution and subsequent decomposition. Solid-state reactions of ceramics involve the mixing of constituent metal oxides, carbonates, etc., and their repeated heating and grinding. To improve physical properties of the final product, there is an increasing demand to control the product particle size, stoichiometry, homogeneity and purity. Thus, alternate routes to the conventional methods of the synthesis of ceramic materials that give superior properties are devised. These new approaches are the soft chemical methods by which the ceramic materials are prepared at considerably low temperatures compared to solid-state reactions [1].
Soft chemical routes are now increasingly becoming important to prepare a variety of oxides including nanocrystalline oxide materials. It makes use of simple chemical reactions like coprecipitation, ion exchange, hydrolysis, acid leaching, and sol–gel. Sol-gel proves supreme success in the preparation of ceramic materials with control of stoichiometry, final particle size and the crystalline phase [2].
It is essential for the synthesis of ceramic products to prepare finer powder for the ultimate processing and better sintering; with the intention of achieving dense materials of fine-grained microstructure with better and useful properties for various applications. More is the fineness; more is the surface area, which increases the ‘reactivity’ of the material. Therefore, the densification or consolidation occurs very well at lower temperature than that of conventional micrometer-particulate systems. Moreover, those dense microstructures improve the properties of materials like abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, electrical properties, optical properties and magnetic properties. Nano-technology is developed for these reasons. It is an advanced technology, which deals with the synthesis of nano-particles, processing of the nano materials and their applications. Normally, if the particle sizes are in the 1-100 nm ranges, they are generally called nano-particles or materials [3].
References:
[1]: Patil K. C., Hegde M. S., Rattan T. and Aruna S. T., "Chemistry of Nanocrystalline Oxide Materials: Combustion Synthesis, Properties and Applications", chp.1, World Scientific Publishing Co., 2008
[2]: Chen Q. and Souter A. M., "Progress on Nanoceramics by Sol Gel Process", Key. Eng. Mat., Vol. 391, pp. 79-95, 2009
[3]: Bandyopadhyay, A. K., "Nano Materials", New Age International Publishers, Chp1, 2008
