title: Issues in nanocomposite ceramic engineering: focus on processing and properties of alumina-based composites.
abstract: Ceramic nanocomposites, containing at least one phase in the nanometric dimension, have received special interest in recent years. They have, in fact, demonstrated increased performance, reliability and lifetime with respect to monolithic ceramics. However, a successful approach to the production of tailored composite nanostructures requires the development of innovative concepts at each step of manufacturing, from the synthesis of composite nanopowders, to their processing and sintering.This review aims to deepen understanding of some of the critical issues associated with the manufacturing of nanocomposite ceramics, focusing on alumina-based composite systems. Two case studies are presented and briefly discussed. The former illustrates the benefits, in terms of sintered microstructure and related mechanical properties, resulting from the application of an engineering approach to a laboratory-scale protocol for the elaboration of nanocomposites in the system alumina-ZrO2-YAG (yttrium aluminium garnet). The latter illustrates the manufacturing of alumina-based composites for large-scale applications such as cutting tools, carried out by an injection molding process. The need for an engineering approach to be applied in all processing steps is demonstrated also in this second case study, where a tailored manufacturing process is required to obtain the desired results.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Applied Science and Technology DISAT, INSTM - R.U. PoliTO - LINCE Lab., Politecnico di Torino, Torino - Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palmero
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gadow
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montanaro
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D002516:Ceramics / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D006244:Hardness; D008422:Materials Testing; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D000537:Aluminum Oxide
references.citation: Eur Phys J E Soft Matter. 2013 Mar;36(3):28
references.pmid: 23515764