General Competition (April 1992)

Synthesis and Processing of Nanocrystalline Ceramics on a Commercial Scale

Sponsor: Nanophase Technologies Corporation

• Project Performance Period: 7/1/1992 - 6/30/1995
• Total project (est.): $1,312,974.00
• Requested ATP funds: $944,258.00

Harder than most metals, extremely strong, generally unfazed by chemicals or heat, ceramics are among the most promising of the new "advanced materials". But there are important problems. They are very brittle; prone to catastrophic fractures. Because they are so hard and brittle, they are extremely difficult to machine -machining can represent up to 95 percent of total production cost -- and because they shrink during sintering, it's equally difficult to mold them to a final shape. As a result, it's expensive to make high-precision ceramic parts. The processing usually requires additives which become impurities in the finished ceramic. Nanocrystalline ceramics might solve many of these problems. These materials start with ultrafine ceramic powders; particles from 5 to 30 nanometers in diameter. At that small size, unfired "green" parts can be made at much higher densities -- eliminating shrinkage -- and sintered without additives -- greatly reducing processing costs and eliminating impurities. They also sinter at much lower temperatures than conventional ceramics, and show some evidence of being more ductile, less brittle. But nanocrystalline ceramics have only been made in laboratories in quantities of a few grams. The NTC project is to develop an economical method that would provide the basis for producing "nanophase" ceramics in commercial quantities, and to study their enhanced or unique physical properties. In addition to the ATP, major support will come from Caterpillar Inc., which is studying the use of advanced ceramics in its diesel engines.

For project information:

Alan Thomas, (708) 963-0282

ATP Project Manager

Jean-Louis Staudenmann, (301) 975-4866
jstaudenmann@nist.gov