The University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) has studied the behavior of glass and crystalline ceramic materials since the 1960s. Currently, UDRI maintains one of largest and most comprehensive libraries of ceramic microstructures in its Digital Library of Ceramic Microstructures (DLCM). DLCM is an interactive archive of microstructures for functional ceramics, with emphasis on materials used for structural, electronic, and thermal applications. Originally, DLCM was funded by the National Science Foundation and was intended for use by educators and researchers in the field of ceramic materials. The three main objectives were to illustrate the role of microstructure in dictating macroscopic properties; highlight changes in microstructures resulting from degradation processes, such as corrosion, creep, oxidation, and dielectric breakdown; and enable virtual measurements of selected properties.

DLCM contains more than 900 digital images and provides a broad spectrum of microstructural images of a variety of functional ceramics as-fabricated and after extended use. Relationships can be established between material properties and associated microstructural features—such as grain size and shape, phase distribution, and properties of constituent phases—by integrating key macroscopic properties with selected micrographs. Images that illustrate changes in microstructure after extended use also enable better understanding of typical degradation processes, such as corrosion, creep, oxidation, dielectric breakdown, slow crack growth, delamination, and phase instability. Finally, the ability to conduct virtual measurements related to microstructure characterization, oxidation, and mechanical properties allows students to generate data sets that can be used to demonstrate and validate fundamental models describing these effects.