AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY bulletin emerging ceramics & glass technology JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025 Industrial applications of ultrahigh-temperature ceramics Advanced uses of UHTCS | Federal FY25 budget proposals | Meet ACerS president DOM LENS EFS 18-55mm mm 1:3.5-5 ww85 HARROP INDUSTRIAL KILNS SINCE 1919 COLUMBUS, OHIO • • HELPING YOU POWER THE FUTURE INDUSTRIAL KILNS Elevator Kiln Rotary Tube Pusher Plate Shuttle Kiln Tunnel Kiln Box Kiln Toll Firing & Testing Product Development Material Characterization Technical Consulting Production Scale-Up From Single Firings to Multi-Month Tolling Campaigns Your kiln needs are unique, and, for more than a century, Harrop has responded with applied engineered solutions to meet your exact firing requirements. WWW.HARROPUSA.COM contents January/February 2025 - Vol. 104 No.1 feature articles cover story 24 30 32 Industrial applications for ultrahigh- temperature ceramics UHTCs are increasingly associated with advanc- ing hypersonic technologies, but they already have established uses in numerous industrial sectors. This article looks at the supply chains and applications for several market-ready compositions. by David Pham, Jenna Marie Gray, and Erica Corral Pushing boundaries in aerospace: Inside ACerS-USACA Hypersonic Materials Training Program The American Ceramic Society and the United States Advanced Ceramics Association developed a goverment-supported workforce training program on the science and engineering of materials for hypersonic applications. by Helen Widman High-temperature advancements: New class of oxidation-resistant silicon carbide Today\'s ceramics are increasingly expected to perform well at higher and higher temperatures. Functional Materials Manufacturing Inc. developed a new type of silicon carbide that is stable in the presence of air at temperatures up to 1,500°C. by Vladimir Krstic departments News & Trends ACers Spotlight Research Briefs Ceramics in Energy.. Ceramics in Manufacturing.. industry Business and Market View Market for thermal management technologies by BCC Publishing Staff Industry Perspectives MXenes for harsh conditions: Design of ceramics for extreme environments one atom at a time by Brian C. Wyatt and Babak Anasori Industry Insights Silicon carbide powers next-generation technologies and promises growth by David Holthaus columns Letter from the Editor 4 12 20 22 23 8 10 3 Enhancing the Bulletin experience for ACerS members and readers by Lisa McDonald Journal Highlights 38 Managing properties in extreme environments by Jonathon Foreman Deciphering the Discipline 44 Potential of polymer-derived synthesis for UHTC processing 34 Women presidents of ACerS This year\'s ACerS president, Monica Ferraris, joins a long line of women presidents that welcomed its first inductee 30 years ago. Learn more about these women in the articles below. Meet ACerS president Monica Ferraris by Lisa McDonald Celebrating 30 years of leadership: A look at ACers past women presidents by Helen Widman by Apurba Naskar meetings Upcoming meetings American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 39 resources Calendar.. 40 Classified advertising 41 Ad index... 43 1 AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY Obulletin online Editorial and Production Lisa McDonald, Editor Imcdonald@ceramics.org Michelle Martin, Production Editor Helen Widman, Content Coordinator Cyndy Griffith, Graphic Designer Editorial Advisory Board Krista Carlson, University of Nevada, Reno Junichi Tatami, Yokohama National University Henry Colorado, Universidad de Antioquia Scott McCormack, University of California, Davis Daniela Messina, RHI Magnesita Lavina Backman, Naval Research Laboratory Customer Service/Circulation ph: 866-721-3322 fx: 614-899-6109 customerservice@ceramics.org Advertising Sales National Sales Mona Thiel, National Sales Director mthiel@ceramics.org ph: 614-794-5834 Executive Staff Mark Mecklenborg, Executive Director and Publisher mmecklenborg@ceramics.org Amanda Engen, Director of Communications and Workforce Development aengen@ceramics.org Marcus Fish, Director of Development, Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation mfish@ceramics.org Michael Johnson, Director of Finance and Operations mjohnson@ceramics.org Andrea Ross, Director of Meetings, Membership, and Marketing aross@ceramics.org Erica Zimmerman, Executive Office Manager ezimmerman@ceramics.org Officers Monica Ferraris, President Mario Affatigato, President-elect Rajendra Bordia, Past President Daniel Tipsord, Treasurer Mark Mecklenborg, Secretary Board of Directors Joseph Cesarano, Director 2022-2025 Marissa Reigel, Director 2022-2025 Winnie Wong-Ng, Director 2022-2025 Alexandra Navrotsky, Director 2023-2026 Dileep Singh, Director 2023-2026 Todd Steyer, Director 2023-2026 Christopher Berndt, Director 2024-2027 Ruyan Guo, Director 2024-2027 Rodney Trice, Director 2024-2027 Stephen Freiman, Parliamentarian • January/February 2025 Vol. 104 No.1 X in http://bit.ly/acerstwitter f http://bit.ly/acersfb As seen on Ceramic Tech Today... Credit: Oregon State University Cr²+ http://bit.ly/acerslink Vivid magenta pigment created using same elements found in lunar soil Drawing inspiration from the structure of existing pigments, Oregon State University researchers developed a new magenta pigment based on divalent chromium, which could be a promis- ing chromophore for a rainbow of new inorganic colors. Read more at https://ceramics.org/magenta-pigment Also see our ACers journals... An ultralight all-fiber-structure sponge with thermal and electromagnetic integrated insulation property By L. Su, J. Lu, H. Zhang, et al. Journal of the American Ceramic Society EMA beamline at Sirius: A versatile platform to probe glass and glass ceramics under extreme thermodynamic conditions By R. B. Pena, R. A. da Silveira, G. Hippler, et al. International Journal of Applied Glass Science Material selection and manufacturing for high- temperature heat exchangers: Review of state-of- the-art development, opportunities, and challenges By C. L. Cramer, E. Lara-Curzio, A. M. Elliott, et al. International Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science A review of thermal shock behavior of ceramics: Fundamental theory, experimental methods, and outlooks By Q. Meng, K. Zhang, R. He, and Z. Qu International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology International Precursor sponge YSZ sponge Annealing YAP sponge Journal Applied Ceramic Applied Glass SCIENCE Spray-coating AgNWs/PVB Laminating Credit: Su et al., JACerS International Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science Read more at https://ceramics.org/journals American Ceramic Society Bulletin is the membership magazine of The American Ceramic Society. It covers news and activities of the Society and its members and provides the most current information concerning all aspects of ceramic science and technology, including R&D, manufacturing, engineering, and marketing. American Ceramic Society Bulletin is published monthly, except for February, July, and November. Subscription included with The American Ceramic Society membership. Institutional subscription rates can be found online at www.ceramics.org or by contacting customer service at customerservice@ceramics.org. The American Ceramic Society is not responsible for the accuracy of information in the editorial, articles, and advertising sections of this publication. Readers should independently evaluate the accuracy of any statement in these sections. Publication of articles does not constitute endorsement, acceptance, or approval of the data, opinions, or conclusions of the authors on the part of the Society or its editors. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to American Ceramic Society Bulletin, 470 Olde Worthington Road, Suite 229, Westerville, OH 43082-8985. Periodical postage paid at Westerville, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Allow six weeks for address changes. American Ceramic Society Bulletin (ISSN No. 0002-7812). ©2025. Printed in the United States of America. ACSBA7, Vol. 104, No. 1, pp. 1-48. All feature articles are covered in Current Contents. 2 www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 letter from the editor Enhancing the Bulletin experience for ACerS members and readers Dear ACerS members and readers, The year 2024 was a time of much activity for The American Ceramic Society. First and foremost, ACerS members and staff developed and finalized the Society\'s latest strategic plan, which sets overarching goals for the period 2025-2028. The implementation of these goals, which can be viewed at https://ceramics.org/ strategic-plan, will begin under the leadership of this year\'s ACerS president Monica Ferraris, who you can read more about on page 34 in this issue. As the membership magazine of the Society, the ACerS Bulletin serves as a key platform through which to help real- ize some of these goals. Thanks to concerted efforts by the Bulletin team all last year, we are excited to announce some new and improved features of the Bulletin that will enhance our readers\' experience in 2025. First, the Bulletin has found a new digital home at https://bulletin.ceramics.org. With this new website, ACerS members and Bulletin subscribers now can access all past and current Bulletin issues in one place. In addition to each issue PDF, which can be found by searching the web- site\'s \"Archive,\" the new website also features digital-native layouts of Bulletin feature articles and columns. Having this \"Article\" section of the website not only facilitates sharing of Bulletin content on social media, it also helps the Bulletin reach broader audiences by making the content discover- able by search engines. Of course, presentation is only part of the reader experi- ence. Publishing content that is recent, relevant, and novel is what makes the Bulletin such a valuable resource to our members. In this vein, we are thrilled to share that starting with the January/February 2025 issue, the Bulletin will now feature a designated Industry section consisting of existing and new columns focused on the business and market side of the ceramic and glass industry. By organizing the con- tent in this way, we aim to meet our members\' desire for industry content in a consistent and discoverable manne As we head into 2025, the Bulletin team will continue finding ways both big and small to improve the Bulletin experience. We appreciate having you with us on this journey of growth and discovery! Best wishes, Lisa McDonald Editor, ACerS Bulletin bulletin The American Ceramic Society Magazine Contribute to the Bulletin The Bulletin is filled with cutting-edge research in ceramic and glass sciences. If you\'re interested in writing for the Bulletin, please contact the editor. Articles Archive Advertise Log Out a . . • . Contact the Editor An update on Bulletin subscriptions The new bulletin.ceramics.org website enabled the launch of improved subscription options for institutions looking to access the Bulletin. Before, subscribing institutions could only access the past two years of Bulletin issues via a username and password. Now, subscribing institutions can access all 100+ years of the Bulletin via IP address. This new functionality and expanded access to content will greatly benefit all involved. Additional details about the new subscription options can be found at https://bulletin.ceramics.org/subscribe. For individuals who want to read the Bulletin, they can become members of ACerS at https://ceramics.org/ membership and gain the full benefits of Society member- ship in addition to magazine access. American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 3 news & & trends Federal budget 2025-Science agencies slated for increases despite tight budget caps By Helen Widman In June 2023, President Joe Biden signed into law the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which imposed limits on discretionary spending for defense and nondefense programs in exchange for lifting the debt ceiling. As a result, most science agencies experienced budget cuts in fiscal year 2024, placing them well below the targets set out in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 is again hampering negotiations for fis- cal year 2025, as it permits only a 1% growth over the prescribed fiscal year 2024 spending levels. Science agencies are thus braced for another tight budget year, and it is expected that any pro- posed increases will not make up for the cuts experienced in 2024. As of late November 2024, when this story was written, Congress was work- ing to enact the fiscal year 2025 budget before the current continuing resolution expired on December 20. However, the results of the 2024 U.S. election have generated much uncertainty about fed- eral science spending in the future. This year\'s elections saw the Republican Party earning the majority in both the House and Senate, with a second presidential term for Donald Trump on the horizon. While it remains unclear exactly how federal science agencies will be impacted in the coming years, the fiscal year 2025 appropriations bills proposed by the House and Senate show strong support for science and innovation, even though only a handful of science agencies are slated to see bud- get increases in 2025. A few highlights from the proposals: Department of Defense The Department of Defense is antici- pated to see a slight decrease in budget after consistent growth in recent years. Despite a proposal by Senate appropria- tors to provide emergency funding for the DOD, thereby bypassing the limita- tions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, House appropriators proposed budget increases for science agencies without dipping into emergency funds. So, House appropriators are unlikely to sup- port the Senate proposal. The DOD\'s research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) accounts grew to $152 billion last year, and this year the White House, House, and Senate appropriators are requesting 5%, 2%, and 3% decreases, respectively. Spending in the Science and Technology portfolio is once again set to drop signifi- cantly, with the White House request- ing a 20% decrease. House and Senate appropriators proposed decreases of 11% and 6%, respectively. Despite plummets in the Science and Technology portfolio, Senate appropria- tors requested a significant increase of Table 1. FY25 budget proposals ($ in millions)* 41% for the Space Force S&T, which aligns with known efforts to increase U.S. engagements in space and gain an edge ahead of competing countries, such as China. National Science Foundation The White House seeks to increase the budgets for most nondefense agen- cies in 2025, with a proposed increase of 12% to the National Science Foundation\'s annual budget. Both House and Senate appropriators pro- posed slight increases of 2% and 5%, respectively, although neither proposal will fully make for the cut NSF expe- rienced in 2024. up Funding for NSF decreased by nearly 12% to roughly $9.1 billion in fiscal year 2024, falling short of the ambitious fund- ing levels called for in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. In 2023, Congress provided a $1 billion supplement to NSF, framing it as a downpayment for the CHIPS and Science Act, when the reality was that Congress was attempt- ing to avoid 2023 budget limits. House and Senate appropriators are unlikely to provide a similar type of supplement this year, as Congress is starting to spread thin over special legislation maneuvers. Department of Energy The White House proposed to increase the DOE budget by 7.5% to $51.4 bil- lion, which is an increase of 3.6 billion 4 DOD S&T total NSF FY24 appropriation 21,508 9,060 DOE Office of Science 8,240 White House 17,208 (-20%) 10,183 (+12%) 8,583 (+4%) House 19,130 (−11%) 9,259 (+2%) 8,390 (+2%) NIST 1,157 1,499 (+30%) 1,169 (+1%) NASA (science) 7,334 7,566 (+3%) 7,334 (0%) NIH 48,581 49,830 (+3%) 48,581 (0%) Senate 20,255 (-6%) 9,550 (+5%) 8,600 (+4%) 1,306 (+13%) 7,576 (+3%) 50,351 (+4%) * Data from the American Institute of Physics FYI \"Federal Science Budget Tracker.\" www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 from the 2023 enacted level. Senate and House appropriators proposed budgets in the opposite directions, with the Senate requesting an increase of 2% to $52.3 bil- lion and the House requesting a decrease of 3% to $49.9 billion. Office of Science: Senate appropria- tors proposed raising the budget for the Office of Science by 4% to approxi- mately $8.6 billion, while House appro- priators proposed just a slight increase of 2% to $8.4 billion. The White House proposal aligns almost exactly with the Senate, with a request just shy of $8.6 billion. The proposed increases reflect support for DOE\'s National Laboratories and partner universities; however, the final budget will likely not reach levels authorized through the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. materials, and support the naval nuclear propulsion program. National Institute of Standards and Technology Applied energy: The White House is requesting a 12% increase to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, in addition to a slight decrease of 2% for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. In contrast, House appropriators are proposing a 43% decrease to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy while Senate appropriators are proposing a slight decrease of 0.6%. Along with the National Science Foundation, NIST also experienced sig- nificant budget cuts in fiscal year 2024, with a roughly 8.3% decrease. This year, the White House proposed increasing the current $1.2 billion budget of the National Institute of Standards and Technology by 30%, with Senate appro- priators proposing an increase of 13% and House appropriators requesting a slight increase of 1%. Regarding the Office of Nuclear Energy, the White House proposed a decrease of 6% to the $1.7 billion bud- get, with House and Senate appropria- tors requesting a 6% increase and 0.6% decrease, respectively. The proposed budget increase intends to address aging facility needs and main- National Nuclear Security Administration: The NNSA budget currently sits at $24.1 billion, with the White House, House, and Senate appropriators each proposing further increases ranging from about $25 billion to $25.5 billion. House appropriators requested an additional $470 million above the budget request to support nuclear weapons stockpiling, continued investment in NNSA\'s infra- structure, prevent the influx of nuclear tenance backlogs, stimulate artificial intelligence research, and advance quan- tum information science and technology, among other tasks. However, NIST fund- ing levels still will fall short of what was authorized for the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, as the agency has taken the brunt of budget cuts based on percent- age in recent years. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Both the White House and Senate appropriators requested a 3% increase to NASA\'s Science Mission Directorate budget. On the other hand, House appropriators requested flat funding from the previous year. Like other non- Specialty glass for thermal management Our glass can be customized for a variety of specifications, including: Thermal conductivity CTE matching Material compatibility Electrical properties Weight management Much more! mo.sci www.mo-sci.com 573.364.2338 ISO 9001:2015 AS9100D ITAR Registered American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org STEEL-12x10 COPPER=17x10 ALUMINUM= 5 Onews & trends defense science agencies, the NASA Science Mission Directorate is expected to see a slight increase in funding this year; however, a 3% increase would only partially reverse the 6% cut it received in 2024. The 2025 science budget request of $7.6 billion also includes $200 million for the Mars Sample Return Mission, which was a point of contention between House and Senate appropriators last year due to its significant cost compared to other missions. The proposed science budget plans to invest in more than 125 space missions, of which 54 are currently preparing for launch. National Institutes of Health Senate appropriators requested an increase of 4% to the National Institutes of Health current budget of $48.6 billion, while House appropria- tors did not request any changes. Like the previous year, the House proposal again requests a significant decrease of 67% to the Advanced Projects Agency for Health. Aside from this outstanding request, the Senate proposal requests to keep most funding levels the same or at a slight increase. In a surprising turn of events, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which includes annual funding for NIH and similar organizations, includes a proposition by House appropriators to substantially restructure the organization. They are requesting that NIH\'s 27 agencies be consolidated into 15. For more information on the federal budget, visit the American Institute of Physics FYI \"Federal Science Budget Tracker\" at https://ww2.aip.org/fyi/ budget-tracker. TT TevTech Materials Processing Solutions CUSTOM DESIGNED VACUUM FURNACES FOR CVD AND CVI Unsurpassed thermal and deposition uniformity Exceptional Automated control systems providing consistent quality product Pilot Scale systems available for rapid product development Systems installed and operating in Asia, U.S. and Europe ASME SETTING THE STANDARD ASME SECTION VIII BPVC CERTIFIED OVER 1251 YEARS EXPERIENCE www.tevtechllc.com #B うう 100 Billerica Ave Billerica, MA 01862 sales@tevtechllc.com Call (978) 667-4557 Corporate Partner news Equipceramic and Maincer form strategic alliance Equipceramic signed a strategic alli- ance with Maincer, a company special- izing in ceramic grinding machinery, to provide brick manufacturers with access to high-level technological solutions. Read more: https://www. equipceramic.com/news-equipceramic Nexceris makes Columbus Business First Fast 50 list Nexceris has made the Columbus Business First Fast 50 list. The Fast 50 list consists of the fastest-growing busi- nesses in Central Ohio, showing tre- mendous growth year after year. The company has now been recognized for four consecutive years as one of Columbus\' fastest-growing businesses. Read more: https://nexceris.com/ resources/blog Refratechnik and RATH form technology alliance In November 2024, Refratechnik and RATH announced the launch of a long-term technology alliance. The goal of the ambitious partnership is close collaboration in the develop- ment and manufacture of refractory products for glass melting plants in the glass industry. Read more: https://www.refra.com/en/News SINAPTIC Technologies receives Colorado state grant to advance ceramic additive manufacturing technology SINAPTIC Technologies was awarded an Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant through the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade Advanced Industries Accelerator program. SiNAPTIC will use the $250,000 grant to conduct biocompatibility testing and process validation, with the goal being to submit an FDA Master File about its printable silicon nitride slurry. Read more: https://www.sinaptic.com/ news www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 Z Deltech Furnaces New! Hazardous locations certifications NFPA86, UL1203, C1D2 (Groups G&D) An ISO 9001:2015 certified company Control systems are certified by Intertek UL508A compliant ASME NQA-1 2008 Nuclear Quality Assurance www.deltechfurnaces.com business and market view bec Research Market for thermal management technologies The global market for thermal man- agement technologies was valued at $16.1 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5% to reach $26.1 billion by 2028. Thermal management technologies are used to maintain the temperature of a system. With the development of smaller and smaller electronics, thermal management technologies have become more necessary to safeguard product performance and reliability by reducing the heat generated by the devices. Most systems employ various thermal management strategies. These strategies can involve convection cooling (transfer of heat through air or liquid) or conduction cooling (transfer of heat through solids) and use both passive and active thermal management technologies. Passive thermal management technologies • Heat sinks: A piece of thermally conductive metal attached to the heat-generating component. Thermal energy is transferred from the heat source to the metal via conduction. The energy is then dispersed into the surrounding atmosphere via natural convection from the heat sink\'s surface area. Heat spreaders: Thermally conductive foils or metal plates that aid in the spread of focused heat over a larger area. Heat spreaders are typically used as an intermediary material between the heat source and secondary heat exchangers. Active thermal management technologies • Forced convection: A blower or fan improves airflow near the heat-generating component. This approach improves heat dissipation by increasing convection and allowing high-temperature air to move away faster. Thermoelectric coolers: Thin, small devices that are typically placed between a heat source and a heat sink. When voltage is applied to the unit, a temperature difference is created between the heat sink and source. This greater temperature delta accelerates conduction. Across all thermal management solutions, the thermal inter- face material is an essential component. This material facili- tates heat transfer and reduces air gaps, improving cooling and enhancing the system\'s reliability. Table 1 overviews different types of thermal interface materials on the market. The COVID-19 pandemic had mixed effects on the thermal management technologies market. It posed challenges in terms of disruptions and reduced demand, but it also highlighted opportunities in sectors such as remote work, healthcare, and digital transformation. As the world transitioned into the post- pandemic era, the market has experienced a shift in priorities toward digitalization, healthcare, sustainability, and supply chain resilience, driving both challenges and opportunities for the thermal management industry. About the author BCC Publishing Staff provides comprehensive analyses of global market sizing, forecasting, and industry intelligence, covering markets where advances in science and technology are improving the quality, standard, and sustainability of busi- nesses, economies, and lives. Contact the staff at Helia.Jalili@ bccresearch.com. Resource BCC Publishing Staff, “Market for thermal management tech- nologies,\" BCC Research Report SMC024N, November 2023. https://bit.ly/BCC-November-2023-thermal-management Table 1. Characteristics of the most common thermal interface materials in the market Туре Greases Phase change materials Gels Characteristics Typically, silicone-based matrix loaded with particles to enhance thermal conductivity. Polyolefin, epoxy, low molecular weight polyes- ters, acrylics typically with boron nitride or aluminum oxide fillers. Aluminum, aluminum oxide, or silver particles in silicone, olefin matrices that require curing. Adhesives Typically, silver particles in a cured epoxy matrix. Advantages -High bulk thermal conductivity. -Thin bond line thickness with minimal attach pressure. -Low viscosity enables matrix material to easily fill surface crevices. -No curing required. -Higher viscosity leads to increased stability and thus less susceptibility to pump-out. -Easier application and handling than greases. -Conforms to surface irregularity before cure. -No pump-out or migration concerns. -Conforms to surface irregularity before cure. -No pump-out or migration concerns. Disadvantages -Susceptible to grease pump-out and phase separation. -Considered messy in a manufacturing environ- ment due to a tendency to migrate. -Lower thermal conducti- ity than greases. -Surface resistance can be greater than greases (but can be reduced by thermal pre-treatment). -Requires attach pressure to increase thermal effectiveness and thus could lead to increased mechanical stresses. -Cure process needed. -Lower thermal conductiv- ity than grease. -Lower adhesion than adhesives; delamination can be a concern. -Cure process needed. -Delamination post- reliability testing is a concern. -Cured epoxies have a modulus, so coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch-induced stress is a concern. 8 www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 By Brian C. Wyatt and Babak Anasori ● industry perspectives Guest columnists MXenes for harsh conditions: Design of ceramics for extreme environments one atom at a time To push the boundaries of human hab- itation in extraterrestrial environments, achieve atmospheric speeds unimaginable to the Wright brothers, and operate in the high-temperature and corrosive atmosphere of nuclear reactors, modern scientists and engineers face the challenge of designing ceramic materials capable of withstanding extreme conditions beyond the limits of conventional materials. Ultrahigh-temperature ceramics (UHTCs), with their ultrahigh melting points of more than 3,000°C and tre- mendous thermomechanical stability in high-temperature conditions, stand out as a strong candidate family of ceramics to enable next-generation extreme envi- ronment technologies. In 2011, UHTCs went two-dimensional with the discovery of 2D early transition metal carbides and nitrides, commonly known as MXenes. As carbides and nitrides, MXenes have a wide degree of tunability in their transition metal and carbon/nitrogen chemistry. This tunabil- ity has enabled MXenes to be applied in areas ranging from energy storage and conversion to flexible optoelectronics to wearable biosensors.¹ Their ability to serve as extreme environment materials is also starting to be realized through work at Purdue University led by Reilly Rising Star associate professor Babak Anasori on the thermal stability of MXenes in high-temperature environments. In early studies, Ti̟¸CT, the 2D MXene version of 3D titanium carbide, was shown to be stable up to about 500°C in oxygen-free environments. At that point, Ti̟¸CT undergoes phase transition-related epitaxial growth and becomes a version of 3D titanium car- bide with a lamellar structure.² This find- ing represented a major step forward for the potential tuning of nanometer-sized grain interfaces in UHTCs. It showed that MXenes could be used as thin and compositionally similar additives in tra- ditional UHTC materials. While using MXenes as additives in traditional UHTC materials is one way to harness their potential for high-tem- perature applications, a promising ave- nue for MXenes lies in using them as standalone materials in extreme operat- ing conditions. Recent work by Anasori\'s group on stabilizing the 2D MXene structure demonstrates this possibility.³ This work showed that transition metal vacancies within the MXene structure are fillable by alkali cations, such as sodium and potassium, by dissolving alkali chloride salts in water-based sus- pensions of MXenes. Using this method, Anasori\'s I\'s group showed that filling the surface transition metal sites in MXenes with greater than 10 at.% vacancies can increase the stability of the 2D structure in higher temperatures up to about 900°C (an increase of about 400°C). As demonstrated by these fundamen- tal studies, we believe that MXenes can enable the development of extreme envi- ronment functional ceramics through the precise control of every single atom. In addition, MXenes\' solution process- ability in simple solvents (such as water) and scalable synthesis (> 1 kg batch sizes) make MXenes a 2D nanomaterial with a high degree of promise in industry- scale applications, which only further serves to beckon future ceramicists to develop these materials for extreme operating conditions. For next-generation UHTC scientific advancements, we believe a new direc- tion for future research is now here, and it is nano. About the authors Brian C. Wyatt is a postdoctoral research associate and Babak Anasori is a Reilly Rising Star associate professor of materials engineering and mechan- American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org ical engineering at Purdue University. Contact Wyatt at wyatt2@purdue.edu and Anasori at banasori@purdue.edu. References ¹B. C. Wyatt, A. Thakur, and B. Anasori, \"MXenes for atomistic design of 2D nano- ceramics,\" American Ceramic Society Bulletin 2022, 101(5): 24-28. 2B. C. Wyatt et al., Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 2021, 33: 224002. 3B. C. Wyatt et al., Nature Communications 2024, 15: 6353. Hypersonics research at Purdue University Hypersonic technologies are one application that could benefit from this high-temperature MXene research. In June 2023, Purdue University announced the opening of a new facility dedicated to enhancing Purdue\'s capa- bilities in hypersonics evaluation and testing. The $41 million Hypersonics and Applied Research Facility covers 65,000 square feet and hosts hyper- sonic shock tunnels that can simulate conditions up to Mach 40. It is also home to the Hypersonics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, a single location for industry partners to work on materials and manufacturing innovations and provide access to test- ing capabilities. Learn more at https:// www.purdue.edu/newsroom. PPURDUE PURDUE HYPERSONICS AND APPLIED RESEARCH FACILITY PURDUE APPLIED PRESEARCH INSTITUTE Ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Purdue hyper- sonics facility. From left: Karen Plaut, executive vice president for research; Mark Lewis, CEO of Purdue Applied Research Institute; Mung Chiang, Purdue University president; and Scott Meyer, managing director of Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories. Credit: Charles Jischke, Purdue University 9 industry insights By David Holthaus Industry reporter Silicon carbide powers next-generation technologies and promises growth Semiconductors are everywhere in today\'s world, undergirding the products that enable our modern lives: mobile phones, laptops, televisions, cars, air- craft, satellites, and much more. These tiny building blocks are essential compo- nents in electronic devices and will be critical to continued advances in com- munications, computing, health care, transportation, military, defense, clean energy, and power systems. Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in the 1960s famously observed that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit will double every two years with minimal rise in cost. Over the decades, Moore\'s Law has largely held true in the evolution of semiconductors as phones and laptops got smaller yet more pow- erful. But Moore\'s Law may be broken as the chipmaking industry bumps up against the more immutable laws of physics. Fitting something so powerful onto something so small at some point leads to overheating, degrading the prod- uct\'s performance. As manufacturers seek to build more powerful, more compact products and components, they need a material that can handle high voltage, high current, and high temperature all in a tiny foot- print. That is where silicon carbide tech- nology comes into play. Silicon carbide is an extremely dura- ble material capable of withstanding high-temperature and high-radiation con- ditions. These properties have allowed silicon carbide to find application as refractory materials for the steel industry and as structural components in aero- space vehicles. But this material also has the poten- tial to be used as a semiconductor in electronic applications. Silicon carbide has a wider bandgap than silicon, which allows the material to conduct electric- ity more efficiently at higher voltages, reduce energy loss, and increase speed. These properties make SiC electron- ics ideal for applications that operate in harsh environments, including high-voltage power supplies, electric 10 MERGE MERG BE Workers at STMicroelectronics\' manufacturing facility for power devices and modules in Catania, Italy. vehicles, aerospace devices, and renew- able energy systems. With growth expected in each of these industries, the market for SiC chips is forecast to grow significantly over the next decade. According to Custom Market Insights, an Austin, Texas-based consulting firm, the market will grow from $2.6 billion this year to $11.8 billion by 2033 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.5%. Similarly, San Francisco-based Grand View Research projects the global mar- ket will accelerate at a CAGR of 11.7% through 2030. Research is underway at NASA and elsewhere to develop SiC sensors and electronics for nuclear reactor applica- tions that could be used for space explo- ration as well as for micronuclear power plants. Research is also taking place on the use of silicon carbide for solar invert- ers and wind turbine controllers, as well as in systems that demand high reli- ability, such as avionics, satellites, and military electronics. In the short term, however, the potential of SiC chips in electric vehicles appears most promising because SiC power modules can increase the range of electric vehicles up to 50% by improving the efficiency of power converters and inverters. In 2017, Tesla announced a break- through in the commercialization of SiC electronics: The company had used SiC inverters to convert DC to AC to power its best-selling electric vehicle. Since then, there has been a sharp increase in interest in silicon carbide from virtually every automaker. STMicroelectronics, based in Switzerland, is one of the leaders in developing silicon carbide semiconduc- tors. The company recently announced the fourth generation of its technology, which it says is particularly optimized for traction inverters, the key compo- nent of electric vehicle powertrains. The company said it plans to introduce more advances in SiC technology through 2027. \"STMicroelectronics is committed to driving the future of electric mobility and industrial efficiency through our cut- ting-edge silicon carbide technology,\" says Marco Cassis, president of the company\'s Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors Group, in a press release. Wolfspeed, the Durham, N.C.-based SiC chip maker, announced a prelim- inary agreement in October 2024 for up to $750 million in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and an additional $750 million of www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 Credit: STMicroelectronics new financing from a group of private investment firms. The electric vehicle industry is the chief user of its products, but potential applications are much broader, said former CEO Gregg Lowe in a press release. \"While EVs have been the driver of silicon carbide adoption thus far, we believe the use cases for our technology are expansive and will only continue to grow as more and more industries find themselves needing to solve for the same power loss, system size, and system cost challenges as automakers,\" he said. Global chip maker Infineon, based in Neubiberg, Germany, recently announced an agreement with Amsterdam-based automaker Stellantis to supply power architecture for Stellantis\' electric vehicles. The agree- ment includes SiC semiconductors, which will support Stellantis\'s efforts to standardize its power modules, improve the performance and efficiency of elec- tric vehicles, and reduce costs. \"Our semiconductors drive the decarbonization and digitalization of mobility,\" says Peter Schiefer, president of Infineon\'s Automotive Division, in a press release. \"They increase the efficiency of cars and enable software-defined archi- tectures that will significantly improve the user experience.\" Kariya, Japan-based auto components manufacturer Denso Corp. and Kyoto, Japan-based semiconductor manufacturer Rohm Co. announced their intent to explore a strategic partnership in the semiconductor sector to ensure a stable supply for next-generation automotive systems. In addition, Denso will acquire a portion of Rohm shares. But challenges remain as the adop- tion of electric vehicles, while rapid, has slowed due to supply chain issues and consumer concern over the range and cost of the vehicles. In November 2024, Wolfspeed announced that it would close its 150-millimeter chip factory in Durham and cut 20% of its workforce to focus solely on its 200-millimeter platform at its factory in the Mohawk Valley region of New York. This news was followed by the abrupt resignation of CEO Lowe. In a Wolfspeed earnings webcast, the company said EV customers, as with any disruptive technology, are revising their launch timelines as the market works through a transition period. But it emphasized that the long-term growth forecast remains positive, even with the short-term slowdown in EV demand. The American Ceramic Society ceramics.org ACers Learning Center Course Feature: Using Phase Diagrams for Industry Instructed by Carl Frahme On-Demand | 18 hours of instruction This course will give you a practical understanding of the value and use of phase diagrams in ceramic technology, whether you have a background in their use or not. The course starts with basics and builds into the practical application of a wide variety of different phase diagrams in all aspects of ceramic technology-from new product development to failure analysis. Register for the On-Demand course at https://ceramics.org/course/frahme-phase-diagrams Use code PHASE20 to get 20% off your registration! Offer valid for one-time use from 1/16/25 to 2/15/25. American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 11 12 acers spotlight SOCIETY ACers 126th Annual Business Meeting: Updates on the state of the DIVISION SECTION CHAPTER NEWS Society The American Ceramic Society held its 126th Annual Business Meeting on Monday, Oct. 7, during ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T24 in Pittsburgh, Pa. This meeting provides a platform for ACerS leadership to report on the state of the Society. During this year\'s business meeting, outgoing president Rajendra Bordia sum- marized the Society\'s 2023-2024 accom- plishments, including the development of the Society\'s latest strategic plan and the launch of a government- supported hypersonic materials work- force training program in partnership Incoming ACerS president Monica Ferraris, left, accepts the ceramic gavel from outgoing ACerS president Rajendra Bordia during the Annual Business Meeting on Oct. 7, 2024. with the U.S. Advanced Ceramics Association (see details on page 30). Then, treasurer Daniel Tipsord reported that strong financial markets have generated a notable return on investments for the Society. New officers were sworn-in, and outgoing officers were recognized and thanked for their service. Incoming president Monica Ferraris outlined her vision and goals for this year as president (see details on page 34), which will focus on three \"Ms\": members, meetings, and marketing. The Annual Awards Banquet took place that night at the Omni William Penn Hotel. This year\'s awardees included 13 members elevated to Fellow Status and two members awarded the distinction of Distinguished Life Member: Lisa Klein and Zuhair Munir. In addition to the Annual Business Meeting, other events that provide updates on different parts of the Society took place during MS&T, including meetings of the Board of Directors, Division executive committee and business meetings, and meetings of ACerS working committees and subcommittees. The Society\'s student leadership group, the President\'s Council of Student Advisors, also held its annual meeting. This year, the PCSA includes 53 students from 28 universities, representing 10 countries. View pictures from ACerS 126th Annual Business Meeting at https://bit.ly/MST24- Pittsburgh. ACerS 127th Annual Meeting at MS&T25 will take place Sept. 28-Oct. 1, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. Washington, DC/Maryland/Virginia Section members enjoy dinner while attending MS&T After a full day of events at ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T24 in Pittsburgh, Pa., several mem- bers of the Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia Section met at City Works FOR MORE Restaurant for dinner on INFORMATION: ceramics.org/spotlight Tuesday, Oct. 8. Members of the Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia Section, from left: Daniel Gower, Lauren Gower, Sepidah Akhbarifar, Sara Mills, Eric Patterson, (unknown), Christopher Rudolf, ACerS staff member Vicki Evans, David O\'Brien, and Isabel Lloyd. www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No.1 Credit: Sanjay Mathur Breaking new ground: SFS Alliance\'s \'Sustainable Horizons\' symposium debuts at MS&T24 The International Alliance of Societies for a Sustainable Future (SFS Alliance), formally established in December 2023, aims to recognize, communicate, and actively work to counter the sustainability crisis. To this end, the SFS Alliance has initi- ated collaborative efforts between several professional societies, including ACerS, to realize these goals. The symposium “Sustainable Horizons: A Symposium on Collective Action for a Resilient Future\" at ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T in October 2024 demonstrated ACerS\' com- mitment to the SFS Alliance. This inaugural symposium, which was co-organized by ACerS Fellow Alp Sehirlioglu, ACerS Global Ambassador Rishabh Kundu, and ACerS Fellow Jürgen Rödel, provided a platform for materials scientists and engi- neers \"to actively contribute as conscientious stewards of our planet for the well-being of future generations,” as explained by the symposium co-organizers in a \"Letter to the Editor\" pub- lished in the September 2024 ACerS Bulletin. Symposium talks (presenter name in bold): • • • • \"The electrification of everything\"-David Ginley, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (invited) \"Key factors for communicating the climate reality in an era of information overload\"-Rishabh Kundu and Marc Widenmeyer, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany; Anke Weidenkaff, Technical University of Darmstadt and Fraunhofer Research Institution for Material Recycling and Resource Strategies, Germany \"Catalysts of change: Functional ceramic materials steering green hydrogen production\"-Sanjay Mathur, University of Cologne, Germany (invited) \"Sustainable Development of Advanced Materials Through Responsible Innovation\"-Khara Grieger and Jacob Jones, North Carolina State University (invited) \"Building a sustainable culture in day-to-day labo- ratory research\"-Jon-Paul Maria, Kristin Dreyer, Saeed Almishal, Krista Bailey, and Jack Rumery, The Pennsylvania State University (invited) ACers past president Sanjay Mathur, left, stands with symposium co-organizers Rishabh Kundu and Alp Sehirlioglu following his invited talk. They are holding a pamphlet about the SFS Alliance that was distributed to symposium attendees. • \"University chemical inventory emission analytics dashboard: A path to sustainable R&D through smart procurement\"-Hector Gomez Jimenez and Alp Sehirlioglu, Case Western Reserve University, Ohio \"Insights from Laboratory efficiency assessment frame- work (LEAF) certification in university research labs\"- Rishabh Kundu, Ann-Katrin Emmerich, Margarida Barroso, Marc Widenmeyer, and Anke Weidenkaff, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany More than 30 people attended the \"Sustainable Horizons\" symposium on Monday, Oct. 7, and the talks sparked dynamic discussions among students and seasoned professionals on three key themes: outreach to broader audiences, socio-ecologi- cal transformation, and workplace sustainability. Stay up to date on future events coordinated by the SFS Alliance, such as webinars, at https://sfs-alliance.org/home. WEBINARS TO WATCH Check out these recent additions to the ACerS Webinar Archives: E-LEARNING THE CURRENT STATE OF CEMENTITIOUS AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IMMOBILIZATION PROCESSES IN NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT Original air date: Nov. 19, 2024 Hosted by: Cements Division Featured speaker: Matthew Asmussen ACerS members can view these webinars and other past recordings by visiting the ACerS Webinar Archives at www.ceramics.org/education/webinars American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 13 acers spotlight more SOCIETY DIVISION SECTION CHAPTER NEWS ACerS International Spain Chapter members attend Workshop on Interfaces in Advanced Ceramic Materials On Sept. 26, 2024, the Workshop on Interfaces in Advanced Ceramic Materials was held at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The event was jointly organized by ACerS International Spain Chapter and the university\'s Institute of Materials with the aim of promoting scientific and technological collaboration in this key sector. IMATUS Síntesis de biovidrios perteneciente K₂O-Cao-MgO-PO, con capacidad antimicrobiana para se empleados como andamios en la regeneración de tudo necientes al sistema S10-p Marta Suárez, Luis Antonio Diaz, Adults Fender Guide, Raquel Diaz, fans Centro de Investigación en sy Workshop on Interlaces in Advanced Curanic M IMATUS (Instituto de Motariales de la Unidad de San C Members of the Spain Chapter attended the Workshop on Interfaces in Advanced Ceramic Materials at the University of Santiago de Compostela in September 2024. Marta Suárez of the University of Oviedo, pictured, was one of several speakers who shared their research on interfaces in advanced ceramic materials during the workshop. MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS ACerStudent Engagement: Randi Swanson Randi Swanson is a Ph.D. candidate studying chemical engineering at the University of California, Davis and serves as the 2024-2025 Communications Committee chair of the ACerS President\'s Council of Student Advisors (PCSA). \"Being part of the PCSA, particularly the Communications Committee, has given me the opportunity to bring together scientists and engineers from around the world to collaborate and promote advancements in ceramic and glass technologies. I hope the connections I foster-both for myself and others—will strengthen this field by enhancing communication and cohesion among professionals of diverse backgrounds and skill sets.\" You can take advantage of these opportunities as well by becoming a student member of ACerS. Visit https://ceramics.org/membership/types-of-membership to learn more. 14 Associate Membership Find out how you can expand your knowledge and gain valuable connections by visiting ceramics.org/associate FOR MORE INFORMATION: ceramics.org/membership First year complimentary Second year $40 USD The American Ceramic Society www.ceramics.org www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No.1 A AdValue Technology Quality Materials to Empower a World of Solutions Volunteer Spotlight: Kalpana Katti and Wil V. Srubar III ACerS Volunteer Spotlight profiles a member who demonstrates out- standing service to the Society. Kalpana Katti is a Distinguished Professor at North Dakota State University. She received a B.S. in physics from the University of Delhi, an M.S. in solid-state physics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the University of Washington. Katti\'s primary areas of research involve mechanobiology, tissue engineering, cancer scaffolds, and biomimetics. Her group has made significant breakthroughs, such as the discovery of the third-tier hierarchy in collagen structure, the discovery of the interlocking of platelets in nacre, and the descrip- tion of the important role of mineral-protein interactions in bone mechanics. Additionally, Katti is an advocate for women scientists and students and has made consistent efforts to increase diversity in STEM areas. Katti is the current chair of the Bioceramics Division and previously served as the Division\'s vice chair. In these roles, she helped introduce a women\'s interactive panel event that is hosted online once a year by the Division. This event provides a forum for women bioceramicists to interact and hear about success stories from role models. Wil V. Srubar III is the Deming Associate Dean for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and professor of civil, environmental, and architectur- al engineering and materials science and engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. He received a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Stanford University and then joined the faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder. Srubar leads the Living Materials Laboratory at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research integrates biology with polymer science and cement chemistry to create low-carbon, biomimetic, and living material technologies for the built environment. He is also a co-founder of three startups: Prometheus Materials, Minus Materials, and Aureus Earth. Srubar has served as secretary, chair-elect, and chair of the Cements Division. He received the ACerS Cements Division Early Career Award in 2023; the Best Paper Award for Journal of the American Ceramic Society in 2020; and the Best Poster Award during the 2024, 2022, 2021, 2019, and 2018 ACerS Advances in Cement-based Materials Meetings. Srubar currently serves as chair of the 15th Advances in Cement-based Materials Meeting. We extend our deep appreciation to Katti and Srubar for their service to our Society! American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org ■ Alumina ■ Quartz ■Sapphire ■ Diamond ■ Zirconia ■ Boron Nitride ■Transparent Ceramics ■Thick Film Pastes High Purity Powders Refractory Metals www.advaluetech.com GASBARRE Alumina Quartz Sapphire Diamond Zirconia Boron Nitride Transparent Ceramics Thick Film Pastes High Purity Powders Refractory Metals Tel: 520-514-1100 Fax: 520-747-4024 Sales@advaluetech.com 3158 S. 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IN MEMORIAM Daniel Oropeza, assistant professor of materials at the University of California, Santa Barbara, was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Early Career Faculty Initiative grant. Oropeza, the second-ever recipient of the award, will receive up to $1 million in funding over five years to pursue the processing of ultrahigh-temperature ceramic materials. Russell (Judd) Diefendorf Jackson Stroud Ceramic Tech Chat: Trudy Kriven and Scott Misture Hosted by ACerS Bulletin editors, Ceramic Tech Chat talks with ACerS members to learn about their unique and personal stories of how they found their way to careers in ceramics. New episodes publish the third Wednesday of each month. Shaping the future with geopolymers: Trudy Kriven Driving energy conversion progress through diffraction: Scott Misture In the September 2024 episode of Ceramic Tech Chat, Trudy Kriven, the Donald Biggar Willett Professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, shares how her passion for research led her on a globetrotting adventure from Australia to Illinois, describes how she now focuses that passion on advancing the development of geopolymers, and explains how she transitions this technology into commercialization through her company Keanetech. In the October 2024 episode of Ceramic Tech Chat, Scott Misture, Inamori Professor of materials science and engineering at Alfred University in New York, dis- cusses the benefits and challenges of adopting energy conversion technologies, describes how he uses diffrac- tion techniques to study materials for energy conversion applications, and shares his thoughts on the personal and broader benefits of being involved in the materials science community. Listen to Kriven\'s and Misture\'s whole interviews-and all our other Ceramic Tech Chat episodes at https://ceramictechchat.ceramics.org/974767. I www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No.1 AWARDS AND DEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION: ceramics.org/members/awards Last call for 2025 award nominations Nominations for several Division awards are due in January 2025. Nominations are encouraged for deserving candidates from groups that have been underrepresented in ACerS awards relative to their participation in the Society, including women, under- represented minorities, industry scientists and engineers, and international members. For more information, visit https://ceramics.org/awards or contact Vicki Evans at vevans@ceramics.org. ECD Best Poster Winners from ICACC 2024 The Engineering Ceramics Division announced the Best Poster winners from the ICACC 2024 meeting held last January in Daytona Beach, Fla. The awards will be presented during the plenary session at ICACC 2025. Congratulations to the authors of these award-winning posters! 2024 Best Poster awards (presenter name in bold) First place: Thermal characterization of ceramic-coated nuclear fuel particles-Eleanor White, D. Cogbill, J. Pomeroy, M. Davies, D. Goddard, N. Tzelepi, M. Kuball, and D. Liu; University of Bristol, U.K. Second place: Engineering relaxor ferroelectric ceramics by configurational entropy for electric energy storage-Chi-Shun Tu, R. Monticello, C. Chen, R. Chien, and P. Chen; Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan Third place: MXene-derived carbides as precursors for ultrahigh-temperature ceramics— Srinivasa Nemani, Y. Im, N. Gilli, B. Sapkota, A. Kumar, A. Vorhees, L. Silvestroni, R. Klie, N. Chawla, and B. Anasori; Purdue University, Ind. Trustee awards (presenter name in bold) Is it possible to achieve ultra-rapid debinding and sintering of samples fabricated using direct ink writing in a single step?—Subhadip Bhandari, O. Hanzel, P. Veteška, M. Janek, M. Biesuz, and G. Franchin; University of Padova, Italy Protective ceramic coatings on SOFC metallic interconnects with Ni buffer layer-Jelin Choi, S. Lee, H. Kim, and J. Hong; University of Science and Technology, Korea Development and cost assessment of ceramic membranes for CO₂ separation from natural gas-Débora Silva, P.F. Alves, D.C. Vasconcelos, W.L. Vasconcelos, J.F. Nascimento, D.C. Melo, and L.d. Pereira; Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil Fracture toughness measurement of ceramics having fuel pellet geometry-Kristopher Jones, A. Wereszczak, O. M. Jadaan, and A. T. Nelson; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tenn. 2023-2024 Global Ambassador awardees The Global Ambassador Program recognizes dedicated ACerS volunteers worldwide who demonstrate exceptional leadership and/or service that benefits the Society, its members, and the global ceramics and glass community. ACerS 2023-2024 President Rajendra Bordia selected the following volunteers for the Global Ambassador Award: • Amjad Almansour, NASA Glenn Research Center • Cristina Balagna, Politecnico di Torino • Geoff Brennecka, Colorado School of Mines • Günter Motz, University of Bayreuth • • Olivia Graeve, University of California, Davis Yuichi Ikuhara, University of Tokyo • Yuji Iwamoto, Nagoya Institute of Technology • Shiho Kawashima, Columbia University American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org • Gisele Lecomte, University of Limoges . Hua-Tay Lin, Guangdong University of Technology • Arnaldo Moreno, University Jaume I of Castellón • Chang-An Wang, Tsinghua University • Yiquan Wu, Alfred University • Rong-Jun Xie, Xiamen University . Yanchun Zhou, Aerospace Research Institute of Materials and Processing Technology 17 18 acers spotlight more AWARDS Nomination deadlines for Division awards: Jan. 15, 21, 31, or March 1, 2025 Contact: Vicki Evans | vevans@ceramics.org Division Award Deadline AND MFG John E. Marquis January 15 Memorial Award DEADLINES GOMD Norbert J. Kriedl January 21 GOMD George W. Morey January 21 Description Recognizes the author(s) of a paper on research, engineering, or plant practices relating to manufacturing in ceramics and glass, published in the prior calendar year in a publication of the Society, that is judged to be of greatest value to the members and to the industry. Recognizes a young engineer or materials scientist who has conducted excellent research in glass science. Nominations are open to all degree-seeking graduate students (M.S. or Ph.D.) or those who have graduated within a 12-month period of the annual GOMD meeting. Recognizes new and original work in the field of glass science and technology. The criterion for winning the award is excellence in publication of work, either experimental or theoretical, done by an individual. GOMD L. David Pye January 21 Glass Hall of Fame GOMD Stookey Lec- ture January 21 BIO Young Scholar January 31 BIO Global Young Bioceramicist January 31 BIO Larry L. Hench Lifetime Achievement January 31 BIO Tadashi Kokubo January 31 CEMENTS Early Career January 31 BSD Early Discovery March 1 BSD Robert B. Sosman March 1 Lecture Recognizes an individual\'s lifetime of dedication, vision, and accomplishments in advancing the fields of glass science, glass engineering, and glass art. Recognizes an individual\'s lifetime of innovative exploratory work or noteworthy contributions to outstanding research on new materials, phenomena, or processes involving glass that have commercial significance or the potential for commercial impact. Recognizes excellence in research among current degree-seeking graduate students and postdoctoral research associates. Recognizes a young ceramic engineer or materials scientist who has made significant contributions to the area of bioceramics for human healthcare around the globe. Recognizes an individual\'s lifetime dedication, vision, and accom- plishments in advancing the field of bioceramics, particularly toward innovation in the field and contribution of that innovation to the translation of technology toward clinical use. Recognizes an individual\'s outstanding achievements in the field of bioceramics research and development. Recognizes an outstanding early career scientist who is conduct- ing research in the field of cement and concrete in academia, industry, or a government-funded laboratory. Recognizes an early career member of ACers who has demon- strated a contribution to basic ceramic and glass science. Recognizes an outstanding achievement in basic science that results in a significant impact on the field of ceramics. www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 GLOWing with potential: Inspiring future generations in glass The Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation (CGIF) recently ignited a passion for glass science in nearly 100 middle school students from four Pittsburgh schools. Held in conjunction with ACerS Annual Meeting at MS&T24, the Glass Learning Opportunities Workshop (GLOW) trans- formed the Pittsburgh Glass Center into a hub of exploration and discovery for ceramic and glass science on Oct. 9, 2024. This impactful event was generously sponsored by the ACers Glass & Optical Materials Division, Chiz Bros, Kopp Glass, and RHI Magnesita. The Pittsburgh Glass Center, with its recently expanded facilities dedi- cated to education and community outreach, welcomed both students and volunteers for GLOW. During the event, students witnessed skilled artists transform molten glass into finished pieces while graduate stu- dents specializing in materials science narrated the scientific principles at work in real-time. Another highlight of the workshop was a career panel featuring female professionals from the ceramic and glass industry. The diverse panel included Karen Daniel, internal operations specialist at Chiz Bros; Charmayne Lonergan, assistant professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology; Kimberly Scott, assistant teaching faculty at Colorado School of Mines; and Elizabeth Tsekrekas, post-doctoral researcher at Savannah River National Laboratory. The panelists illus- trated the breadth of career opportunities available in the field, from technical positions to advanced research roles, encouraging students to envision their own futures in materials science. The hands-on portion of the workshop featured demonstrations led by student volunteers from Missouri S&T, Alfred University, The Pennsylvania State University, and Colorado School of Mines. The volunteers led students through demonstrations that showcased glass fracture behavior, the differences between regular and tempered glass, and Prince Rupert\'s drops. The demonstrations also highlighted the omnipresence of ceramic and glass materials in everyday life, help- ing students connect scientific principles to the world around them. \"GLOW exemplifies the CGIF\'s mission to attract, inspire, and support the next generation of ceramic and glass professionals,\" says Marcus Fish, CGIF CERAMIC AND GLASS INDUSTRY FOUNDATION director of development for the CGIF. “By providing hands-on experi- ences and direct interaction with industry professionals, we\'re opening students\' eyes to the possibilities of careers in materials science.\" The success of the Pittsburgh GLOW event builds on the CGIF\'s commit- ment to expanding access to materials science education. While many students have limited exposure to ceramics and glass in their standard curriculum, GLOW provides a unique opportunity to explore these mate- rials in an engaging, hands-on environment. Interested in bringing GLOW to your area? Contact the CGIF at foundation@ceramics.org for support and guidance in organizing your own GLOW event. If you would like to support the CGIF\'s mission of inspiring the next generation of ceramic and glass professionals, make a donation at ceramics.org/donate. O Students listen as CGIF volunteers explain the science behind glass art during a hot glass demo at the Pittsburgh Glass Center. Graduate Students: You may be eligible to receive a FREE ACers GGRN (graduate student) membership (value of $30 USD). GGRN Graduate Membership SIGN UP TODAY Simply go to ceramics.org/ggrn-support and request support from an ACerS U.S. Section, International Chapter, or Division. Need more information? Contact ACerS Customer Service at 866-721-3322 or 614-890-4700 The American Ceramic Society ceramics.org American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 19 research briefs Credit: Fang & Zhang et al., Journal of the American Ceramic Society (CC BY 4.0) Trifecta of ductility: Third perovskite oxide confirmed to exhibit room-temp bulk plasticity Researchers led by ACerS member Xufei Fang identified a third perovskite oxide that can exhibit room-temperature bulk plasticity. To date, room-temperature plasticity in ceramics has been largely limited to the nano- and microscale. Of the ceram- ics that do exhibit bulk and mesoscale plasticity under ambient conditions, most of them are alkali halide crystals or simple oxides with rock-salt structure, such as magnesium oxide. These ceramics typically have bandgaps well above 7 eV, however, which limits their application in electronic devices. In the past 20 years, researchers have identified a few bulk ductile ceram- ics with desirable electrical properties, including the perovskite oxides strontium titanate (SrTiO 3, 2001) and potassium niobate (KNbO3, 2016). But “the pursuit of finding more room-temperature ductile ceramics remains largely unexplored so far,\" the authors write in the paper. In the new paper, Fang and his col- leagues turned their attention to the perovskite oxide potassium tantalate oxide (KTaO3). This ceramic has gar- nered a lot of attention recently due to its desirable spin and tunable ferroelec- tric properties, which make it an ideal choice for electronic applications. It also has a very similar crystal structure to the ductile perovskite oxides SrTiO, and KNbO3, which suggests it may exhibit bulk ductility as well. (B1) E=0% (B2) E~1.3% (B3) E-1.7% (A) 350 Upper yield 011 300- 001 A Lower Primary fracture yield Engineering stress (MPa) 250- 200 150 100- 50- 0 0.00 0.02 (B4) E-4.2% (B5) E-4.9% (B6) E-6.3% Oy_up =274 MPa 0.04 0.06 0.08 Engineering strain Bulk compression of single-crystal potassium tantalate oxide along the <001> direction. (A) Engineering stress-strain curve. (B1-B6) Screenshots of the in-situ bulk compres- sion at different strains. The black arrows indicate the slip traces, and the red arrow indicates the crack formation. The scale bar in (B1) is consistent for all six subfigures. To test the potential bulk ductility of KTaO3, Fang and his colleagues first test- ed the surface ductile behavior of KTaO3 by performing cyclic Brinell indentation and scratching tests on samples approxi- mately 1×5×5 mm in size. Based on these tests, they determined that KTO demonstrates a very similar plastic zone size and slip trace features to SrTiO3. They then performed uniaxial bulk compression tests on KTaO, samples approximately 3×3×6 mm in size. These tests revealed that KTaO, requires a higher level of shear stress to experience dislocation movement (~137 MPa) com- pared to SrTiO3 (~90 MPa) and KNbO3 (~30 MPa), even though these materials share similar structures. This finding raises intriguing questions concerning the origin for such differ- ences, particularly when compared with most other perovskite oxides that do not display bulk plasticity at room tempera- ture. Further high-resolution microscopy characterizations, as well as computa- tional simulations, will be needed to understand the underlying mechanisms for yielding such dislocation plasticity. The open-access paper, published in Journal of the American Ceramic Society, is \"Room-temperature bulk plasticity and tunable dislocation densities in KTO,\" (DOI: 10.1111/jace.20040). 20 20 Materials in the news Demonstration of self-assembling electronics North Carolina State University researchers demonstrated a new tech- nique for self-assembling electronics. The technique involves placing liquid metal next to a mold and then pouring a solution of ligands onto the metal. As the solution flows across the metal, it is drawn into the mold, and the ion-bearing ligands begin assembling themselves into 3D structures. Meanwhile, the liquid part of the solution evaporates, which packs the complex structures closer together into an array. Once the structure reaches the desired size, the mold is removed, the array is heated, and the ingredients assemble themselves into metal oxide molecules wrapped in graphene sheets. For more information, visit https://news.ncsu.edu/2024/12/self-assembling-electronics. Increasing the carbon capture ability of MOFs Oregon State University scientists found a way to improve the carbon capture ability of metal-organic frameworks. They first activated a copper-based MOF by removing water molecules to expose four closely positioned open copper sites. They then exposed the MOF to ammonia gas, and an ammonia molecule occupied one of the open sites. The remaining sites attracted carbon dioxide, promoting interaction with ammonia to form carbamate species. The carbamates are released during water immersion, which regenerates the MOF\'s pristine structure and makes it reusable for ongoing carbon capture. The find- ings emphasize that MOF structures can be tailored with functional groups to enhance their interactions with specific target molecules. For more informa- tion, visit https://news.oregonstate.edu. www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 One-electron covalent bond in carbon challenges understanding of bonding motifs In September 2024, researchers at Hokkaido University in Japan made the stunning announcement that they had experi- mentally confirmed the existence of one-electron covalent bonds between two carbon atoms. Though atoms can donate a single electron to another during ionic bonding, covalent bonding almost exclusively involves shar- ing electrons between atoms in pairs. Several X-ray crystallographic studies have experimentally confirmed the existence of one- electron covalent bonds between boron atoms, phosphorus atoms, and some copper complexes, but researchers have struggled to find evidence of one-electron covalent bonds between carbon atoms because they are much less stable than paired covalent bonds. To achieve a stable one-electron covalent bond, the Hokkaido researchers looked for a stable molecule that could support the weak bonding structure. They decided on a derivative of hexa- phenylethane that contained an elongated single covalent bond between two carbon atoms. Oxidation of the hexaphenylethane derivative resulted in the production of dark violet single crystals suitable for X-ray diffrac- tion analysis. This analysis, coupled with Raman spectroscopy, confirmed the existence of one-electron bonds between the car- bon atoms. Though the classification of this one-electron bond as \"cova- lent\" is debatable, even being able to debate this question is \"kind of the point,\" says first author Takuya Shimajiri, previously assis- tant professor at Hokkaido University and now at the University of Tokyo, in a Chemistry World article. \"We aim to clarify what a covalent bond is-specifically, at what point does a bond qualify as covalent and at what point does it not? Our goal is to explore a wide range of bonds that have yet to be discovered, not just between carbon atoms, but between all ele- ments,\" he says. The paper, published in Nature, is \"Direct evidence for a car- bon-carbon one-electron σ-bond\" (DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024- 07965-1). Call the Experts for all your solids processing Size Reduction Wet & Dry Size Reduction Steel & Ceramic Lined Mills Jars & Jar Rolling Mills Vacuum Drying Dryers & Complete Systems Solids & High Viscosity Mixing Ribbon & Cone Blenders Fluidizing Mixers Sigma Blade Mixers Applications: Ceramics. Al2O3 Glass Frit Sic Tungsten Carbide Quarts Refractory Organometallics. Catalysts Minerals Pigments Polymers Powdered Metals Graphite Resins Quality & Innovation Since 1911 PAULO. ABBE® www.pauloabbe.com 630-350-3012 sales@pauloabbe.com Starbar and Moly-D elements are made in the U.S.A. with a focus on providing the highest quality heating elements and service to the global market. Understanding how sediment particles align during deposition Using the European Synchrotron particle accelerator in Grenoble, France, researchers from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg studied the formation of clay-rich sediments. They placed water-filled cylinders with sinking clay par- ticles into the particle accelerator\'s high-energy X-ray beam and measured the time-resolved alignment of particles under various conditions. The experiments showed that clay particles adopt a certain orientation very early on, in the bound- ary layer between the water and the sediment. This alignment increases further within the first few millimeters of sediment. This finding is surprising because a common hypothesis on the alignment of clay particles is primarily determined by the sediment that lies on top, which is many meters thick. For more information, visit https://pressemitteilungen.pr.uni-halle.de. American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 60 years of service and reliability 1²R I SQUARED R ELEMENT I Squared R Element Co., Inc. Phone: (716)542-5511 Email: sales@isquaredrelement.com www.isquaredrelement.com 21 ceramics in energy Ensuring stable cycling: Lanthanum doping improves performance of Li-ion battery cathodes Researchers led by ACers Fellow Ricardo Castro investigated the thermo- dynamic changes that occur during bat- tery cycling to understand how it affects cathode stability. During battery cycling, cathode struc- tures are delithiated, i.e., lithium ions are removed and transferred to the other electrode. This process can cause local deviations in the cathode\'s stoichiom- etry, which according to density func- tional theory, can impact the cathode\'s surface energy y and its potential for inter- action with the electrolyte. However, direct thermodynamic measurements to corroborate the predic- tions are unavailable, mainly because these surface energies are so small that it is practically impossible to quantify them. To overcome this challenge, the authors pioneered a water adsorption microcalorimetry method that uses water molecules as nondestructive probes to determine the slight energy changes. Using this method, the authors determined that mild delithiation of the La-nanoLCO nanoLCO 1.0 1.1 DELITHIATED/CHARGED LITHIATED/DISCHARGED + DELITHIATED/CHARGED 1.2 1.3 Cathode Surface Energy, J/m² LITHIATED/DISCHARGED Illustration showing how lanthanum-doped battery cathodes experience reduced thermo- dynamic stress between grains during cycling, thus mitigating degradation mechanisms. LiCoO2 cathode causes surface energy reduction, which negatively affects adhesion between adjacent grains. In other words, the cathode is structur- ally stressed during every cycle, which degrades its stability over time. After confirming this behavior, the authors considered how to stabilize the cathode to prevent degradation. They explored using lanthanum as a dopant in the cathode because it has previously been reported that lanthanum improves structural stability during cycling. They discovered that the lanthanum- doped stoichiometric cathode (LiCoO2) had a reduced surface energy, but more importantly, it showed no surface energy variation after delithiation (Li057CoO2). This finding “implies that La³* doping serves as a thermodynamic buffer that reduces cycling-induced thermodynamic stresses,\" the authors write. Plus, the lowered surface energy brought other advantages that positively impact battery performance, for exam- ple, by causing the cathode to experience less coarsening and dissolution, “likely due to the enhanced bond strengths,\" the authors add. The open-access paper, published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, is \"Enhanced thermodynamic stability of delithiated nano-LiCoO, by lan- thanum doping\" (DOI: 10.1021/acs. jpcc.4c03415). Toward dendrite-free Li-metal batteries: MOF glass layer enables more uniform lithium diffusion Researchers from Aalborg University, including ACerS member Morten M. Smedskjaer, showed that a layer of glass can enable more uniform lithium diffu- sion in lithium-metal batteries. Lithium-metal batteries can store twice the energy of a lithium-ion battery in the same amount of space. However, scale-up of lithium-metal batteries is hindered by the battery\'s propensity for lithium dendrite formation due to the lack of spatial control over lithium nucleation on the lithium-metal anode. In the recent study, the researchers used metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as a barrier layer between the lithium metal anode and liquid electrolyte. MOFs are a relatively new class of materi- als comprised of inorganic nodes joined by organic linkers. The researchers inves- tigated the performance of the MOF layer in both a glassy and crystalline state. Ab initio and classical molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the hypothesis that the glassy state supports superior performance by enhancing inter- facial interactions between the anode and liquid electrolyte, thus increasing lithium conductivity. After receiving this confir- mation, the researchers coated a lithium- metal anode with the MOF glass layer. The coated anode successfully operated for more than 300 hours at 1 mA cm² in symmetric batteries. The researchers now plan to explore the use of conductive 2D materials to help regulate the electronic conductivity and mechanical properties of the MOF glass layer. The open-access paper, published in Advanced Materials, is “High-performance dendrite-free lithium-metal anode based on metal-organic framework glass\" (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202400652). 22 22 www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 Credit: Dahl et al., The Journal of Physical Chemistry C (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) ●ceramics in manufacturing Hot imprinting of metal-organic frameworks enables optical-quality glasses Researchers from Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology reported a new process for liquid handling of metal- organic framework (MOF) glasses. MOFs are materials comprised of inorganic nodes joined by organic link- ers. They are typically formed in a crys- talline state, but recent studies show that several MOFs can be formed as glasses as well. However, though these glasses are about to enter their second decade of discovery, \"the shaping of [these] hybrid glasses in their liquid state-in analogy to conventional glass processing-has been elusive thus far,\" the researchers write in an open-access paper. In December 2023, the researchers reported that they had developed a pro- cedure for liquid handling of high-quality zeolitic imidazolate MOF glasses, specifi- cally composition ZIF-62. Their process involves placing gently ground ZIF-62 crystals between two silica cover glasses and then heating the sample in a tube furnace. Upon melting, the transparent ZIF-62 glass can be transferred to a mold and pressed into almost any shape. The hot imprinted ZIF-62 glasses featured accessible pore channels, which allowed the glass to be used as a gas sen- sor. When gas molecules entered the 3D lattice structure, the glass demonstrated force crystals of ZIF-62(Zn) between borosilicate glass melt-pressing makes agZIF-62(Zn) substrate structured SiO2 elements T = 450 °C re-melting a ZIF-62(Zn) T = 400 °C imprinted microstructures in a ZIF-62(Zn) Schematic of the workflow from ZIF-62 crystals to imprinted micro-optical components made of ZIF-62 glass. an observable shift in optical properties under direct infrared imaging. In June 2024, the researchers pub- lished a follow-up study that further elaborated on the potential of this pro- cess to create MOF glasses for real-world optical applications. They imprinted the ZIF-62 glasses with concave and convex micro-optical components, which resulted in centimeter- scale samples that could reversibly adsorb volatile gas molecules. This behavior allowed \"optical breathing,\" i.e., reversibility of the optical path length. The December 2023 open-access paper, published in Nature Materials, is \"Precise control over gas-transporting channels in zeolitic imidazolate framework glasses\" (DOI: 10.1038/s41563-023-01738-3). The June 2024 open-access paper, published in Nature Communications, is \"Micro-optical elements from optical- quality ZIF-62 hybrid glasses by hot imprinting\" (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024- 49428-1). Enabling Performance Solutions Accelerating Ultra High Temperature Flexural Testing for Advanced Ceramic and Composite Materials Testing Over 2000°C Force Load Pins Force Upskill your career with ACers Comprehensive Flexural Testing: ACERS Start your learning journey today! ceramics.org/learning-center American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org Ceramic Specimen Support Pins • ASTM C1211 - Flexural Strength • ASTM C1421 - Fracture Toughness • ASTM C1495 - Effect of Surface Finishing • ASTM C1368 - Slow Crack Growth at T > 2000C. High Throughput with 10+ Bend Tests Per Day GLEEBLE A VPG Brand View Our Solutions Guide Visit us at booth # 307 Gleeble.com | Info@Gleeble.com | 518.283.5350 23 Credit: Smirnova et al., Nature Communications (CC BY 4.0) bulletin cover story Samples of 12-mm ZrB2 undergoing thermal testing. Industrial applications for ultrahigh-temperature ceramics By David Pham, Jenna Marie Gray, and Erica Corral UHTCS are increasingly associated with advancing hypersonic technologies, but they already have established uses in numerous industrial sectors. This article looks at the supply chains and applications for several market-ready compositions. ue to the current race in advancing hypersonic technologies, 1,2 a class of materials known as ultrahigh-temperature ceramics (UHTCs) has gained research momentum. UHTCs are a class of materials comprised of borides, car- bides, and nitrides of transition metals that, as the naming suggests, have high melting points, generally above 2,000°C. The broad definition of UHTCs encompasses more than 300 material compositions. However, materials with melting points above 3,000°C are limited to borides, carbides, and nitrides of boron, hafnium, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, titanium, and thorium oxide (Figure 1).³-9 In addition to high melting points, UHTCs are also heat resistant with high phase stability, meaning they do not easily react with other materials or their environment. These proper- ties make UHTCs ideal for high-temperature applications, such as hypersonics. Though hypersonic technology is the current poster child for UHTC applications, these materials already have estab- 24 Melting Point (°C) 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Tac SIC WC B4C HfB2 ZrB2 TiB2 TaB2 NbB2 HfN ZrN TiN TaN C-BN h-BN TiO2 ZrO2 HfO2 NbO Ta205 Y203 ΣΟΜ Figure 1. Melting point of transition metal borides, carbides, nitrides, and oxides. Data compiled from References 3–9. ThO2 lished uses in numerous industrial sectors, including electron- ics, manufacturing, and energy. In this article, we will look at several of these market-ready compositions, namely BN, HfB,, HfC, HfN, NbC, TaB, TaC, ThO̟, TiC, ZrB2, and ZrC, and consider how they are sourced, produced, and used. www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 Credit: Jenna Marie Gray Credit: Erica Corral Contribution Scale 100% 75% 50% 25% 0% Legend Boron Tantalum Niobium Zirconium/Hafnium Titanium Ilmenite Titanium-Rutile Thorium Figure 2. World map showing geographic sourcing of materials used to make UHTCs. Circle size correlates to that material\'s world sup- ply contribution, as noted by the scale. Data comes from the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024 report.10 Material sourcing We begin our discussion of industrial applications for UHTCs by considering the sourcing of the raw materials (Figure 2).10 UHTC materials are globally sourced with the exception of thorium oxide, which is sourced from only China and the U.K. The rare earth UHTCs only make up a few thousand metric tons of available stock. Hafnium, being a byproduct of zirconium processing, is actually the rarest based on available data, with only 70 metric tons produced per year. All UHTCs undergo similar processing methods to get them from a raw ore stage to the final product, which involve the reaction of the oxide form into the desired boride, carbide, or nitride component. These methods will be discussed in the next section. Boron Boron is the necessary element to produce UHTC borides and boron nitride. Boron, in the form of boron oxide (B₂O), is obtained from borate minerals of colemanite, kernite, tincal, and ulexite. Most ore is sourced from Turkey, which provides nearly 50% of the market supply. The United States supplies 25% of the ores, Chile supplies 8%, and half a dozen other countries supply the remainder to produce an approximate world total of 4.1 million metric tons per year.\" From the total supply of boron, 80% of boron is consumed for borate glasses and ceramics in the United States. Tantalum 11 Tantalum is sourced from the minerals columbite, micro- lite, tantalite, and wodginite. The prime producers are from African nations, which make up 60% of the sourcing. Brazil produces 15% of the ores and various other countries contrib- ute a small percentage each to produce a world total of about 2,400 metric tons per year. Due to the limited availability and rarity of tantalum, recovery of tantalum from recycling American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org electronic scraps and super alloys is a practical and economical solution. Of all the tantalum, more than 50% of tantalum is used for the manufacturing of tantalum-based UHTCs. Zirconium and hafnium Zirconium is obtained from zircon, baddeleyite, and mineral sands, while hafnium is a byproduct from the processing of zirconium metal. Thus, availability of hafnium correlates to the processing of zirconium. Moreover, zirconium mineral sands are excavated in the same regions as titanium mineral sands, which contributes to the availability of zirconium. More than 50% of zirconium-containing ores originate from Australia and South Africa, with smaller contributions coming from China at 8% and the United States and Indonesia supplying 6% each, amounting to 1.6 million metric tons per year. Zirconium is processed mostly into the oxide form of ZrO₂, where it is commonly used for ceramics and silicides. Because hafnium is a derivative of zirconium processing, prices and avail- ability for hafnium are controlled by the industrial demand of zirconium-based products, with an approximate production of only 70 metric tons per year. For many cases, zirconium can be interchangeable with hafnium in alloying and some electronic components, which can reduce the burden and use of hafnium. Titanium Ilmenite and rutile are the main mineral sources to obtain titanium. Illmenite is mainly sourced from China, Mozambique, and South Africa, while more than 50% of rutile is sourced from Australia, Sierra Leone, the United States, and South Africa. Titanium is one of the most versatile transition metals used in the world, finding application as either a stand- alone element or composite in paints, polymers, aerospace, medical, and automotive applications. Because of this versatil- ity, the use of titanium in the form of titanium carbide makes up a very small fraction of the total titanium consumption. 25 Credit: Jenna Marie Gray Industrial applications for ultrahigh-temperature ceramics Niobium Niobium is sourced from the mineral pyrochlore. Brazil mines 90% of the ore, while Canada mines 8%. Niobium is mostly used as additives for alloying steels, with niobium car- bide having a specialized use in nuclear reactors. Thorium Thorium is primarily sourced from monazite, but it has lim- ited supply due to radioactivity concerns. More than 80% of thorium-containing ores come from China and the remainder come out of the U.K. Thorium is not the sole material found in monazite, accommodating on average 10% of the total composition, accompanied by other rare earth elements. The ores are treated with either an acid or base to break down the mineral into individual rare earth components and can be fol- lowed with several solvent extractions or calcination depending on the exact processing method used. The processing of tho- rium ores results in the production of ThO2 and only requires further processing for specialized applications, such as coatings or production of pure thorium metal. Processing of UHTC powders There are generally two methods employed for the com- mercial processing of UHTC powders: solid-state reactions and thin film deposition. Solid-state reactions Solid-state reactions are an effective way to produce a large quantity of UHTC powders. This processing approach involves the reaction of transition metal powders to produce UHTC powders in the range of micrometers. Prior to reaction, pow- ders can be mixed in a ball mill to uniformly disperse the reac- tants. Alternatively, the powders can be processed using high- energy milling, where mechanical forces are higher to greatly reduce particle size and promote cold welding of particles. Though there are several methods reported in academic jour- nals to describe how a specific composition is made, this article discusses the most common methods used for commercial sale. The common reactant used to form UHTC borides and boron nitride is B₂O3. This compound is one step removed from mined boron ores, where boron is extracted in the form of HBO3. After a heat treatment up to 600°C, B₂O3 forms as water evaporates. 12 It is then reacted with ammonia (NH3) to form hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). h-BN can be further processed into the high temperature allotrope of cubic boron nitride (c-BN) by processing at temperatures as high as 1,800°C and pressures in the range of 50,000-90,000 atm.13 The processing of UHTC carbides goes through the carbothermal reduction of oxides using the oxide form and reacting with graphite at temperatures ranging betweeen 1,500- 1,900°C. HfC, NbC, TaC, TiC, and ZrC are formed through the carbothermal reduction of their oxide species. Zirconium and hafnium are sourced from their raw material as chlorides (ZrCl and HfC₁₁) and begin the process through the hydrolysis and calcination of their metal chloride to produce ZrO2 and HfO2. To get the metal boride, the oxides go through a boro- carbothermal reaction using B₂O, and a carbon source. Unlike HfC and HfB2, the production of HfN begins with the pure metal form of hafnium. HfN is made from the nitridization of hafnium metal in a nitrogen environment at 1,300°C. Thin film deposition High-purity nanopowders can be produced via chemical vapor deposition. In this process, one or more gaseous precursors are introduced into a reaction chamber, where they adsorb onto a surface and form a thin layer of material that reacts to form the desired composition on a substrate. A post heat treatment or anneal at a lower temperature than the solid-state reaction may be applied to assure the reaction has completed. In some cases, physical vapor deposition may be used, which involves bombarding a sputtering target made of the transition metal with ions to eject material that reacts with the environment and forms the final composition as it is deposited on the substrate. The transition metal is typically a chloride, which reacts with boron trichloride to form the boride, meth- ane to form a carbide, and ammonia to form a nitride. Exploration of UHTC applications in industry As noted in the introduction, UHTCs are heat-resistant materials with high phase stability, which makes them ideal for applications that expose materials to high thermal loads. In addition, UHTCs exhibit unique mechanical and electrical properties, as seen in Table 1,3,7-9,14-18 which expands their possible uses. The current industrial uses of UHTCs include electronic device components, additives for cutting tools and optical devices, and coatings for nuclear energy applications (Figure 3). We will briefly discuss the important material properties required for each application. Electronic device components Capacitors store and release electrical energy. The push for miniaturization of electronic components drives demand for capacitor materials with high dielectric constants and high dielectric strengths. HfN, TaN, and ThO₂ have uses as capacitors, with ThO2 being the least used due to radioactivity concerns. The intrinsic high thermal stability of HfN and TaN allows for the production of smaller capacitors with the same capacitance and reduced energy loss. 19 Transistors act as a switch or amplify a signal. Boron nitride is generally a good choice for transistors because it has a large band gap to prevent current leakage and a low dielectric constant for faster switching in high-frequency applications. In the specific case of field-effect transistors, which use an electric field to control the current flow through a semiconduc- tor channel, a material with higher electrical conductivity is desired. The preferred band gap is determined by the applica- tion, with a large band gap being ideal for high-power applica- tions and a small band gap being used for low-power electron- ics. HfN is suitable for the latter application due to its small band gap, and with a higher electrical conductivity than boron nitride, it consumes less power when the transistor is on. 26 www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 Table 1. Physical properties of UHTCs with melting points above 3,000°C. Data compiled from References 3, 7–9, 14–18. Melting point Electrical resistivity Electrical Hardness Flexural Thermal conductivity (GPa) strength conductivity Dielectric constant Band gap (°C) (μΩ • cm) (S/m) (MPa) (W/m/K) (eV) h-BN 2600 1.00E+14 30.7 25.1 4.2 5.96 c-BN 2973 1.00E+19 50-90 13 7.1 6.36 HfB₂ 3380 9.7 1.03E+07 28 350-450 40-104 - 2 HfC 3900 109 9.17E+05 18.5-24 250-350 20 - I - HfN 3385 40 2.50E+06 16-20 463 23 30 1.7 NBC 3500 74 1.35E+06 19.6 14.2 - - TaB₂ 3040 33 3.03E+06 20-25 240 ± 94 Тас 3800 42.1 2.38E+06 14-19 600-700 30 30 - I - | TaN 2700 240 to 1126 4.17E-03 19-24 200-400 8.8 22 1.5 to 8.9E-04 Ih0, 3377 1.00E+09 10 65 10 19 4.5 TiC 3100 68 1.47E+06 20-25 240-390 21 - - ZrB2 3245 7.8 1.28E+07 20-25 300-400 I ZrC 3400 43 2.33E+06 26 400 20.5 a) c) b) LENS EF-S 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 d) wwgs LLLL LL I LLLL LL Figure 3. UHTCs are used in various industrial applications, including a) electrical components, b,c) additives for cutting tools and optical lenses, and d) coatings for nuclear fuel. American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org Credit: a) Andreas Lischka, Pixabay; b) Pixabay; c) Sara Kurfeß, Unsplash; d) Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) 27 Credit: David Pham Industrial applications for ultrahigh-temperature ceramics Various electronic components have copper and silicon interfaces, and cop- per is known to diffuse quickly due to its susceptibility to electromigration. To pre- vent the diffused copper from reacting and mixing with other key constituents of the device, a diffusion barrier is used. The diffusion barrier requires resistance to dielectric breakdown; thermodynamic phase stability that prevents reaction with copper, silicon, or other substrate materials; and low kinetic mobility of copper. HfN, TaC, ZrC, and TaN are UHTCs that can serve as diffusion barri- ers. 19-21 Additionally, NbC and TaC are used as electrical contacts due to their high thermal conductivity and resistance to arc erosion. Cutting tools and optical devices UHTCs can be used as additives to increase a cutting tool\'s hardness and thus enhance cutting capability and reduce wear. Regarding optical devices, HfB, and ZrB, are used as substrates for the growth of nitrides in LEDs due to hav- ing good electrical conductivity as well as compatible thermal expansion coef- ficients and lattice parameter spacing compared to gallium nitride-based semi- conductors.²² Tho, was previously used as an additive in optical lenses for its high refractive index to improve image sharpness, but it is not used anymore due to radioactivity concerns. To replace the use of Tho₂, other compounds are used, including TaN coatings. Nuclear energy applications In the generation of nuclear energy, materials are bombarded with neutrons and exposed to high temperatures. Uranium oxide (UO2) is used as the fuel source, but UHTCs are starting to be used as supplements or as alternative fuels to extend the life of fuel cells. ThO2 is suggested as a main alterna- tive, but currently it is used as an addi- tive to UO2. Benefits of ThO2 include providing greater thermal-chemical stability, which can enhance life, and being more readily available than UO2.23 ZrB2 and HfB, are also in current use as coatings for UO, fuel rods. 24 Although UHTC carbides have been investigated as an alternative to the borides for coat- ing nuclear fuel, carbon does not absorb neutrons as effectively as boron. Boron has a high neutron absorption cross-section and helps control the nucle- ar reaction. The benefits of using boride UHTCs as a boron source is that they offer high-temperature stability along with oxidation resistance and high mechanical strength to support UO, rods. Emerging technologies As noted in the introduction, research on the use of UHTCs for hyper- sonic technologies is expanding, and this research largely involves UHTC borides and carbides with melting points above 3,000°C. Based on market availability, rare earth UHTCs may be used in small quantities, but zirconium- and titanium- based UHTCs are likely to be used more commonly due to their greater market supply. However, hafnium-based UHTCS have better high-temperature phase sta- bility than the zirconium counterpart. Based on planned flight paths and vehi- cle design, hafnium-based UHTCs may see roles in critical components exposed to the highest temperatures. Future directions for UHTCs UHTCs are increasingly associated with the advancement of hypersonic flight systems, but they already have established uses in various industrial sectors ranging from electronics and manufacturing to energy and more. Developments in advanced material processing techniques, such as direct current sintering and microwave sinter- ing, have increased the accessibility of these materials. However, challenges still remain with fabricating these materials to withstand the harsh environmental conditions posed by hypersonic flight. For example, the ability to produce structures with controlled microstructures on a large scale, 3,25,26 the enhancement of mechani- cal properties and oxidation resistance at high temperatures, 13,27,28 and the develop- ment of testing facilities that can emu- late aspects of extreme environments. 29,30 Despite these challenges, the contin- ued and expanded use of UHTCs in existing commercially relevant sectors remains promising. With their ability to maintain properties at high tempera- tures, UHTCs are leading materials for further miniaturization of electronics. The continued use of UHTCs as addi- tives for cutting tools and optical devices is also expected, while ZrB2 and HfB₂ maintain a firm hold as the preferred coating for nuclear fuel rods. To date, these applications of UHTCs use only single-compound UHTC compositions. The solubility of UHTC compounds with each other can open the door to solid solution compounds with five or more components, known as high-entropy UHTCs. The ability to tailor UHTC properties through solid solution mixing can provide a path for increased customization of UHTCs in the future. About the authors David Pham, Jenna Marie Gray, and Erica Corral are research staff, undergraduate student, and profes- sor, respectively, in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Arizona. Contact Corral at elcorral@arizona.edu. References 1\"The rise of hypersonics-Hypersonic weap- ons and flight breaking new barrier,\" Deloitte US. Published March 2020. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/ pages/energy-and-resources/articles/rise-of- hypersonics.html 2M. Easly, \"AUKUS alliance seals plans for collaboration on hypersonics testing,\" Defense Scoop. Published 18 Nov. 2024. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024. https://defensescoop. com/2024/11/18/hyflite-aukus-pillar-ii- hypersonic-testing-collaboration 3D.-W. Ni, G.-J. Zhang, Y.-M. Kan, and Y. Sakka, \"Textured h-BN ceramics prepared by slip casting,\" Journal of the American Ceramic Society 2011, 94(5): 1397-1404. 4J. B. DeLisio, X. Wang, T. Wu, G. C. Egan, R. J. Jacob, and M. R. Zachariah, \"Investigating the oxidation mechanism of tantalum nanoparticles at high heating rates,\" Journal of Applied Physics 2017, 122(24): 245901. 5J. F. Justin and A. Jankowiak, “Ultra high temperature ceramics: Densification, prop- erties, and thermal stability,\" Aerospace Lab 2011, (3): 1-11. 28 www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 \'M. J. Gasch, D. T. Ellerby, S. M. Johnson, “Ultra high temperature ceramic composites,\" In Handbook of Ceramic Composites, ed. N. P. Bansal. Boston, MA: Springer US, 2005. pp. 197-224. \'Golla BR, Mukhopadhyay A, Basu B, Thimmappa SK. “Review on ultra-high tem- perature boride ceramics,\" Progress in Materials Science 2020, 111:100651. Noor Mohammad S. \"Electrical characteris- tics of thin film cubic boron nitride,\" Solid- State Electronics 2002, 46(2): 203-222. \'Nisar A, Hassan R, Agarwal A, Balani K. \"Ultra-high temperature ceramics: Aspiration to overcome challenges in thermal protection systems,\" Ceramics International 2022, 48(7): 8852-8881. 10\"Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024,\" U.S Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey, 2024. 11\"Factsheets updates based on the EU fact- sheets 2020 - Boron,\" Solutions for Critical Raw Materials: A European Expert Network, 2020. 12S. Aghili, M. Panjepour, and M. Meratian, \"Kinetic analysis of formation of boron triox- ide from thermal decomposition of boric acid under non-isothermal conditions,\" J. Therm. Anal. Calorim. 2018, 131(3): 2443-2455. 13R. H. Wentorf Jr., \"Synthesis of the cubic form of boron nitride,\" The Journal of Chemical Physics 1961, 34(3): 809-812. 14O. Vasylkiv and D. Demirskyi, “High- temperature strength behavior of tantalum diboride to 2000°C,\" Journal of the American Ceramic Society 2023, 106(11): 6385-6389. 15J. Wang, F. Ma, and M. Sun, \"Graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, and their hetero- structures: properties and applications,\" RSC Adv. 2017, 7(27): 16801-16822. 16I. Bello et al., “Cubic boron nitride films for industrial applications,\" Diamond and Related Materials 2005, 14(11): 1784-1790. 17W. S. Williams, \"The thermal conductiv- ity of metallic ceramics,\" JOM 1998, 50(6): 62-66. 18D. A. Evans et al., “Determination of the optical band-gap energy of cubic and hexago- nal boron nitride using luminescence excita- tion spectroscopy,\" J Phys: Condens Matter 2008, 20(7): 075233. 19S. Rawal, E. Lambers, D. P. Norton, T. J. Anderson, and L. McElwee-White, \"Comparative study of HfNx and Hf-Ge-N copper diffusion barriers on Ge,\" Journal of Applied Physics 2006, 100(6): 063532. 20C.-S. Chen and C.-P. Liu, “Characterization of sputtered nano-crystalline zirconium carbide as a diffusion barrier for Cu metallization,\" J. Electron. Mater. 2005, 34(11): 1408-1413. 21K. Min, K. Chun, and K. Kim, \"Comparative study of tantalum and tanta- lum nitrides (Ta2N and TaN) as a diffusion barrier for Cu metallization,\" Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena 1996, 14(5): 3263-3269. 22A. H. Blake et al., \"InGaN/GaN multiple- quantum-well light-emitting diodes grown on Si(111) substrates with ZrB, (0001) buffer layers,\" Journal of Applied Physics 2012, 111(3): 033107. 23\"Thorium fuel cycle: potential benefits and challenges,\" IAEA-TECDOC-1450, Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency, 2005. 24\" Implementation of zirconium diboride burnable absorber coatings in CE nuclear power fuel assembly designs,\" WCAP-16072- NP, Westinghouse, 2003. 25D. Pham, J. H. Dycus, J. M. LeBeau, V. R. Manga, K. Muralidharan, and E. L. Corral, \"Thermochemical model on the carbother- mal reduction of oxides during spark plasma sintering of zirconium diboride,\" Journal of the American Ceramic Society 2019, 102(2): 757-767. 26H. J. Brown-Shaklee, W. G. Fahrenholtz, and G. E. Hilmas, \"Densification behavior and microstructure evolution of hot-pressed HfB,,\" Journal of the American Ceramic Society 2011, 94(1): 49-58. 27A. A. Peña, J. P. Vernon, and R. W. Trice, \"Evaluation of rare-earth element dopants (Sm and Er) on ablation resistance of ZrB2/ SiC-sintered billets,\" Journal of the American Ceramic Society 2019, 102(9): 5645-5655. 28E. Eakins, D. D. Jayaseelan, and W. E. Lee, \"Toward oxidation-resistant ZrB2-SiC ultra high temperature ceramics,\" Metall. Mater. Trans. A 2011, 42(4): 878-887. 29M. Miller-Oana et al. \"Oxidation behavior of aerospace materials in high enthalpy flows using an oxyacetylene torch facility,\" Journal of the American Ceramic Society 2015, 98(4): 1300-1307. 30W. Tan, M. Adducci, and R. Trice, \"Evaluation of rare-earth modified ZrB2-SiC ablation resistance using an oxyacetylene torch,\" Journal of the American Ceramic Society 2014, 97(8): 2639-2645. Join your Division! Explore 11 ACers Divisions, determine which groups you identify with, and join today! Join up to three Divisions, included in your ACers membership. ceramics.org/divisions The American Ceramic Society ceramics.org 3 American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 29 29 Pushing boundaries in aerospace: Inside ACerS-USACA Hypersonic Materials Training Program An artist\'s rendering of a hypersonic vehicle. By Helen Widman pace has inspired human awe and Space curiosity for millennia, and the last century saw humans finally free themselves from the pull of Earth to begin exploring this final frontier.¹ As humans continue to push the boundaries of space travel, though, the need for improved thermal management technol- ogy grows more evident. Hypersonic vehicles, or those that travel at more than five times the speed of sound, are expected to enable timely travel across continents and even to far-distant celestial bodies. But traveling at such speeds generates extreme heat, which the vehicle must be protected against.² China has led research and development on hypersonic technologies during the past 20 years.³ But the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is starting to pour more funding and atten- tion into this area, with the Pentagon requesting $6.9 billion for hypersonic research in its fiscal year 2025 budget request- up from $4.7 billion in the fiscal year 2023 request.4 With hypersonic research taking the stage again, increased awareness of and training on the materials that enable hyper- sonic technologies is crucial to the success of future space endeavors. The American Ceramic Society has a role to play in these efforts. In January 2024, the Department of Defense Cornerstone Consortium under the DOD Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program and the National Imperative for Industrial Skills initiative awarded ACerS a contract to develop a sustainable, targeted, workforce training program on the science and engineering of materials for hypersonic applica- tions. ACerS has partnered with the United States Advanced Ceramics Association (USACA), a 501(c)(6) trade association, on the effort. Materials for hypersonics: A brief history of UHTCs Of the materials covered in the Hypersonic Materials Training Program, ultrahigh-temperature ceramics (UHTCs) are a main focus.5 UHTCs are a set of refractory ceramics with melting points above 3,000°C. They have the formulation M-X, where M is an early transition metal, such as zirconium and hafnium, and X is either boron, carbon, or nitrogen. Although scientists have known about UHTCs since the 1800s, the first breakthrough in utilizing these materials took place during the U.S.-Soviet Union Space Race in the 1950s and 1960s, when scientists were looking for materials that could serve as rocket motors, heat shields, and other structural components for spacecraft. 5 Scientists learned much about the fundamental properties of UHTCs during this time, but interest in UHTCs soon dwindled after the end of a research program funded by the U.S. Air Force Materials Laboratory.6 In the late 1980s, UHTCs regained popularity as scramjet propulsion, hypersonic aerospace vehicles, and advanced rocket motors became focal points in sustained hypersonic flight. Nowadays, the fervor for space travel and exploration has cemented interest in UHTCs. Since the early 2000s, researchers have worked to improve the fracture toughness, oxidation resistance, and thermal conductivity of UHTCs. Once optimized, these materials are expected to be used along the leading edges of hypersonic vehicles, such as wings and nose tips. ACerS-USACA Hypersonic Materials Training Program: Course structure and 2025 plans The ACerS-USACA Hypersonic Materials Training Program consists of virtual and in-person short courses held around the country to equip industry professionals, national laboratories, DOD agencies, and others with knowledge about the materials used in hypersonic technologies and their appli- 30 www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 Credit: NASA cations. The program hopes to reach those working outside of academia to fill in any potential knowledge gaps. The first course in the program took place in January 2024 in St. Augustine, Fla., at the Composites, Materials & Systems Conference (CMS). Instructed by professor Rodney Trice of Purdue University, this course focused on ultrahigh-tempera- ture materials and their properties. The next course took place in May 2024 at the NSMMS- CRASTE Joint Symposia in Madison, Wis. Instructed again by Trice, along with Mark Opeka of Kratos SRE and John Schmisseur of the University of Tennessee Space Institute, the course focused on materials selection and their manufacture as well as traditional and dynamic testing methods. The last course of 2024 took place in December at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Instructed by Schmisseur and David Lipke of Missouri University of Science and Technology, this course focused on ceramic matrix com- posite (CMC) materials, properties, and manufacturing. January 2025 brings Trice back to the CMS conference in Florida to instruct an extended version of his course, this time focusing on the materials science and engineering of UHTC materials, CMCs (including carbon-carbon composites), and some refractory metals to support the design of hypersonic technologies. Also this month, Trice is scheduled to host two half-day virtual hypersonic course to help ensure accessibility for those who are interested. To learn more about the Hypersonic Materials Training Program and get involved, visit https://ceramics.org/education/ hypersonic-training-program. Questions can be sent to Amanda Engen, ACerS director of communications and workforce devel- opment, at aengen@ceramics.org. Hypersonic Materials Training Program Instructors Rodney Trice Mark Opeka John Schmisseur David Lipke With hypersonic research taking the stage again, increased awareness of and training on the materials that enable hypersonic technologies is crucial to the success of future About ACerS space endeavors. Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for ceramic and materials scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students. For more informa- tion, visit https://ceramics.org. About USACA Founded in 1985, the U.S. Advanced Ceramics Association champions the business interests of the advanced ceramic pro- ducers and end-users. Its members range from the largest U.S. industrial companies to smaller corporations dedicated to the manufacture of advanced ceramic products. For more informa- tion, visit https://advancedceramics.org. References ¹T. Pultarova and J. Carter, \"Astronomy: Everything you need to know,\" SPACE.com. Published 25 July 2023. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024. https://www.space.com/16014-astronomy.html 2K. G. Bowcutt, \"Flying at the edge of space and beyond: The oppor- tunities and challenges of hypersonic flight,\" Summer Bridge Issue on Aeronautics 2020, 50(2): 51-58. 3D. Rovella, \"China leads the world in hypersonic technology,\" Bloomberg. Published 12 March 2024. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-03-12/bloom- berg-evening-briefing-china-leads-the-world-in-hypersonic-technology 4\"Hypersonic weapons: Background and issues for Congress,\" Congressional Research Service. Published 14 Aug. 2024. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024. https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/R45811.pdf 5W. G. Fahrenholtz and G. E. Hilmas, \"Ultra-high temperature ceramics: Materials for extreme environments,\" Scripta Materialia 2017, 129: 94-99. 6S. M. Johnson, M. Gasch, J. W. Lawson, M. I. Gusman, and M. M. Stackpoole, \"Recent developments in ultrahigh-temperature ceramics at NASA Ames.\" Presented at the 16th AIAA/DLR/DGLR International Space Planes & Hypersonic Systems & Technologies Conference, October 2009. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20100023450 7B. C. Wyatt, S. K. Nemani, G. E. Hilmas, E. J. Opila, and B. Anasori, “Ultra-high temperature ceramics for extreme environments,” Nature Reviews Materials 2024, 9: 773-789. American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 31 Bulletin | Application note Samples of the new oxidation-resistant silicon carbide ceramic developed by Functional Materials Manufacturing Inc. High-temperature advancements: New class of oxidation-resistant silicon carbide By Vladimir Krstic Tith advances in transportation tech- With Due to differences in thermoelastic properties between the nologies and energy systems, today\'s SiO2 layer and SiC, cracking and delamination occurs, leading electrical, structural, and electronic ceramics are increasingly expected to perform well at higher and higher temperatures. Silicon car bide (SiC), with its high thermal conductivity and high-temperature mechanical strength, may offer a solution to this market need.¹ However, standard, commercially available silicon carbide ceramics are known to be unstable when exposed to air due to the affinity of carbon and silicon for oxygen. The oxidation process starts at the surface of the silicon carbide, forming the oxide layer (SiO2) through the following reaction: 32 SiC(s) + 3/202(gas) = SiO2(s) + 2CO(gas) to a progression in oxidation. This oxidation reaction is a rate- controlled process. Initially, at lower temperatures, the reaction rate is slow. But as the temperature increases, the oxidation rate becomes rapid. To prevent oxidation, SiC ceramics must be coated or pack- aged with protective materials, such as oxide ceramics, to avoid air exposure. This requirement can add time and cost to the processing of SiC ceramics. Recently, scientists and engineers at Functional Materials Manufacturing Inc., or FMM (Kingston, Canada), developed the first generation of SiC ceramics that are stable in the pres- ence of air at temperatures up to 1,500°C. To suppress oxidation, FMM modified the lattice structure such that oxygen ions are incorporated into the SiC lattice, thus bonding the neighboring carbon and silicon ions to oxy- gen (Figure 1). Under such conditions, instead of reacting with www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 Credit: Functional Materials Manufacturing Atomic structure at the surface of SiC До -Si -C -0 Figure 1. Distribution of oxygen ions in the lattice of SiC. The arrows indicate bonds created between oxygen, carbon, and silicon ions. Weight Change (mg) 10 19 4 2 0 ◆Ref. 2 (1 h) ―Ref. 2 (5 h) ―Ref. 2 (24 h) -Ref. 2 (48 h) →FMM SiC (320 h) -2 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 Temperature (°C) Figure 2. Change of weight with temperature for classical SiC (data from Reference 2) and SiC produced by FMM. Credit: Functional Materials Manufacturing Credit: Functional Materials Manufacturing oxygen from air and thereby leaving the surface in the form of carbon monoxide, the carbon atoms remain bonded to oxygen at and beneath the surface of SiC, thus protecting the surface against oxidation. While standard SiC exhibits continuous build up of silicon dioxide at its surface, as seen in Figure 2,² FMM\'s new SiC exhibits no oxidation up to 1,500°C. The significance of this development is that we now have a class of SiC ceramics capable of withstanding temperatures far exceeding those of currently commercially available SiC ceram- ics without significantly changing other key physical properties. In practice, this material opens the door to the creation of SiC components and devices that do not require coating or addi- tional packaging, which could be used in applications ranging from aerospace (spark plugs), nuclear, automotive (diesel spark ignitors), and electronics, to list a few. In addition, it is feasible American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org that the same technology used to develop oxidation-resistant SiC can be applied to other carbides and possibly some nitrides and borides. About the author Vladimir Krstic is president and CEO of Functional Materials Manufacturing Inc. (Kingston, Canada). Contact Krstic at vkrstic@fmmceramics.com. References ¹Physics and Technology of Silicon Carbide Devices, edited by Yosuto Hijikata, 2012. https://www.intechopen.com/books/3129 2N. Al Nasiri, N. Patra, N. Ni, D. D. Jayaseelan, and W. Lee, \"Oxidation behavior of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites in air,\" J. European Ceram. Soc. 2016, 36(14): 3293-3302. 33 Meet ACerS president Monica Ferraris By Lisa McDonald \"I have always felt welcomed by the ACerS community, and I want to make sure other members feel that way as well.\" With members from more than With 70 countries around the world, The American Ceramic Society is a truly glob- al organization that connects professionals in academia, industry, and government through their shared love of ceramics and glass. Leading a group composed of so many different cultural backgrounds, however, can be challenging. Fortunately, this year\'s ACerS president, Monica Ferraris, excels at joining both people—and materials—together. Ferraris\' experience with bringing people together started right after her master\'s graduation, when the Italian Telecommunications Research Center hired her to conduct spectroscopic analyses of optical fibers, the foundation of mod- ern communication networks. This venture was her first time working with glass, and it led her to conduct research on other types of glasses as well. Ferraris took a detour from the glass world to work in the research center of Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat on metals and composites. But this position also allowed her to collaborate with researchers at Politecnico di Torino, where she eventually ended up being hired as a professor. At Politecnico di Torino, Ferraris and her research group work on joining and coating all sorts of materials, with a focus on ceramics and glass. For example, they use glasses to join ceramic and composite materials together for high-temperature applications, such as in aerospace and nuclear systems, and they developed an antibacterial and antiviral coating that proved effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. \"Together with my colleagues, the development of this anti- bacterial and antiviral coating was one of our best and greatest achievements,\" Ferraris says. \"When the pandemic first started, 34 I originally felt so out of control. But demonstrating the effec- tiveness of this coating was such a huge relief and so empower- ing. It felt incredible.\" Ferraris credits ACerS as a key part of her journey into join- ing and coating research. When she first started at Politecnico di Torino, she was asked to join ceramic matrix composites together for nuclear applications. She did not know much about these materials, so she attended an ACers conference that was focused on high-temperature composites. \"It was a very focused and excellent conference in terms of content, but I also got to start knowing the ACerS community. I joined the Society then and have never left,\" she says. Among Ferraris\' many contributions to the Society, she and professor Paolo Colombo at the University of Padova cofounded the ACerS International Italy Chapter in 2017. In the years since, they have organized numerous self-standing and annual events through the Chapter, including a workshop called “Le mille vite del vetro” (The thousand lives of glass) that brings together companies and researchers in the glass sector. Of the annual Chapter events, Ferraris says her favorite is the happy hour held for ACerS International Chapter mem- bers at the International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composites in Daytona Beach, Fla. \"When you are in a relaxed environment like the happy hour, you chat and there are new ideas popping up. Just step- ping back, having that relaxed conversation is one of the best ways to help ideas and thoughts flow,\" she says. Along this same vein, during her year as ACerS president, Ferraris plans to focus on what she calls the three “Ms\": mem- bers, meetings, and marketing. She views these three areas as the pillars that join people together most effectively. Ultimately, Ferraris thanks all her colleagues for the oppor- tunity to serve as ACerS president and looks forward to the collaborations and activities this year has in store. www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 Celebrating 30 years of leadership: A look at ACerS past women presidents By Helen Widman Then Monica Ferraris was sworn in as ACerS president during ACerS When MD Nice ting at MWSS T24, she joined a long line of women presi- dents that welcomed its first inductee 30 years ago, when Carol Jantzen was announced as president-elect in 1995. Jantzen\'s nomination was a natural transition considering her previous volun- teer roles at ACerS: She had been a part of the ACerS Strategic Planning Group in the early \'90s and later became chair of the Implementation Group to bring the plan to life. In total, she served 14 years on the ACerS Board. Since Jantzen officially began her term in 1996, there have been eight more women who have held the role and helped the Society evolve to where it is today. Monica Ferraris, second from left, stands crowned as the latest member of Acers women presidents during ACerS Annual Awards Banquet at MS&T24. From left: Elizabeth Dickey, Monica Ferraris, Marina Pascucci, and Katherine Faber. Carol Jantzen, FACerS and DLM Retired from Savannah River National Laboratory, affiliated faculty member at the University of South Carolina Aiken Jantzen served as Acers\' first woman president from 1996–1997. During her time as president, she worked to continue the ACerS strategic plan that had been started in 1990 to strengthen the Society at the turn of the century. The strategic plan involved a market research survey to better serve manufacturing and a reorganization of ACerS committees to better serve members. She said serving as president was a great honor. \"I pondered whether I could define any one thing that made my presidency \'different\' from those of my predecessors. Just as anticipated, I found more similarities than differences,\" Jantzen said in the May 1997 Bulletin. “Serving as president of ACerS has been very challenging, very interesting, and very rewarding.” Read more about Jantzen\'s experience as the first woman president of ACerS in the May 1997 ACerS Bulletin, Vol. 76 No. 5. American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 35 www Kathryn Logan, FACerS and DLM Principal Research Engineer Emerita at Georgia Institute of Technology and Virginia Tech National Institute of Aerospace Langley Professor Logan served as ACerS president from 2003-2004, during which time she focused on serving members world- wide. One of the ways that Logan accomplished this goal was by starting a Globalization Task Force to facilitate international membership and interactions while also growing the Society. \"Paul Holbrook retired and Glenn Harvey became executive director during my term. My main priorities were working with Harvey and the Board of Directors to secure the financial and organizational structure of ACerS, as well as working with professor David Pye to recognize and support the international activities and members of ACerS,\" Logan said in an email. \"My fondest memory during my time as president was becoming certified in driving an M1A1 Abram\'s tank at the Army Aberdeen Proving Ground.\" Read more about Logan\'s time as president in the May 2003 ACerS Bulletin, Vol. 82 No. 5. Katherine Faber, FACerS and DLM Simon Ramo Professor of materials science, California Institute of Technology Faber served as Acers president from 2006–2007, and one of her focal points as president was connecting the ceramics community with the larger society. During her term, Faber helped bring electronic membership to Acers, aiming to provide membership options to a broader range of people both in and outside of North America. She also continued the work of the Globalization Task Force-which was founded by past president Kathryn Logan-to foster collaboration between the international ceramic and glass community and to provide membership benefits to those around the world. Faber also strived to bring more diversity to ACerS. \"Diverse groups tend to be more creative and productive than groups made up of very similar members. The Society can better enjoy those benefits if we first make a commitment to diversity,” Faber said in the January 2007 Bulletin. Read more about Faber\'s time as president in the January 2007 ACerS Bulletin, Vol. 86 No. 1. Marina Pascucci, FACerS and DLM Retired from CeraNova Corporation as director of government programs and contracts Pascucci served as Acers president from 2010-2011, and her goals focused on growing and strengthening the Society, especially with industrial and international members. She represented ACerS at international meetings such as ICC3 in Osaka, Japan, and the PACRIM meeting in Cairns, Australia. She also traveled to several Division meetings and universities to speak with members about how ACerS could better serve their needs. \"Serving as president of The American Ceramic Society was one of the highlights of my professional career,” Pascucci said in an email. “One Society committee that was particularly active during my term was the Structure Review Committee, chaired by Rajendra Bordia and charged with critically examining ACerS\' structure with particular attention to Divisions. The work of this committee formed the foundation of our current ACerS structure, with the addition of new Divisions, the merging of smaller Divisions, and improved Division meetings. Although I recently retired, I continue to participate in ACerS, which has been my professional \'home\' for nearly 50 years!\" Read more about Pascucci\'s time as president in the September 2010 ACerS Bulletin, Vol. 89 No. 7. Kathleen Richardson, FACers and DLM UCF Board of Trustee Chair, Pegasus Professor of optics and materials science and engineering, Florida Photonics Center of Excellence professor at CREOL/College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida Richardson served as ACerS president from 2014-2015, during which time she laid out three main goals for her term: facilitating communication and collaboration between Divisions; building global diversity throughout the ACerS membership; and laying the groundwork and first strategy and its implementation for the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation, which was founded in 2014. \"Our community and industry is only as good as the workforce that we provide it,\" Richardson said in an email. \"The first part of improving our workforce is the education and training by our colleges and universities and the next step is the engagement by our industry with these students. I will put the challenge out there to our industrial partners: Here\'s an opportunity to reengage and support the process of educating their workforce. Tell us what you need. Come to the table and be part of the process.\" Read more about Richardson\'s time as president in the January/February 2015 ACerS Bulletin, Vol. 94 No. 1. www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 wwwww 36 Sylvia Johnson, FACerS and DLM Retired from NASA Ames Research Center as chief materials technologist, entry systems and technology division Johnson served as ACerS president from 2018-2019. During her time as president, Johnson aimed to maintain the financial health of ACerS, closing the gap between meetings by evaluating the possibility of a Pan American conference, and creating more volunteer opportunities. Emphasizing diversity among volunteers and recognizing their contributions was also important to Johnson. \"It was a great honor, learning experience, and delight to serve as president of ACerS. I had long admired many of the presidents, and still do, for their hard work and vision,\" Johnson said in an email. “I enjoy volunteering for the Society and support our efforts to include everyone in the varied opportunities and rewards available to all. I particularly look forward to the next generation of leaders.” Read more about Johnson\'s time as president in the January/February 2019 ACerS Bulletin, Vol. 98 No. 1. Dana Goski, FACerS Vice president of research and development at Allied Mineral Products LLC Goski served as ACerS president from 2020-2021, during which time the effects of COVID-19 were widespread and many in-person activities halted. One of Goski\'s goals as president was to develop a strategic plan for ACerS in 2021, along with working on risk management and continuing to expand the Society\'s reach. “Just last month, I pulled out an old purse I hadn\'t used in ages and found an ACerS-branded face mask tucked inside a souvenir from one of our earliest post-pandemic, in-person conferences,” Goski said in an email. “Leading a not-for-profit during a pandemic wasn\'t exactly a role anyone would seek out, yet it gave our team of volunteer leaders and staff a unique chance to discover what resilience truly means and to define it for ourselves. The future of ceramics and glass continues to be more than just bright: It is luminous.\" Read more about Goski\'s time as president in the January/February 2021 ACerS Bulletin, Vol. 100 No. 1. Elizabeth Dickey, FACerS Teddy & Wilton Hawkins Distinguished Professor and department head of materials science and engineering at Carnegie Mellon University Dickey served as ACerS president from 2021-2022. Her main priority as president involved maintaining the strength of the Society coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as continuing the strategic plan that Goski implemented in the term prior. Dickey made it a priority to emphasize diversity and inclusion within ACers, especially concerning young professionals. \"I think one of the strengths of The American Ceramic Society is it really brings together academic research and education with industry, and it\'s a super important interface between those two communities,\" Dickey said in the January/February 2022 Bulletin. \"Meeting the needs of industry [is important], but also calling on industry to have them play a role in mentoring our students or young professionals and being involved in their profes- sional development.\" Read more about Dickey\'s time as president in the January/February 2022 ACerS Bulletin, Vol. 101 No. 1. Monica Ferraris, FACerS Full professor of science and technology of materials at Politecnico di Torino, Italy Ferraris is currently serving as ACerS president for 2024-2025. Her main priority as president involves strength- ening the ACers community through what she calls the three \"Ms\": members, meetings, and marketing. She will also help support the implementation of ACerS\' latest strategic plan, which was finalized in the term prior. \"All these different initiatives help us expand our found family,\" said Ferraris in an interview. \"I have always felt welcomed by the ACerS community, and I want to make sure other members feel that way as well. I am excited to work with all the staff of The American Ceramic Society, who are incredible, to help our members and Society thrive in the coming year.\" Read more about Ferraris\'s plans as president on page 34 in this issue. View the list of all ACerS past presidents at https://ceramics.org/about/governance/past-presidents. € 9 ค American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 37 Jonathon Foreman ACers journals managing editor O journal highlights Managing properties in extreme environments Next-generation technologies for ener- gy generation and aerospace require mate- rials to withstand ultrahigh temperatures, often well above 2,000°C, in both inert and reactive atmospheres. As ceramists, we are keenly aware that our materials are well positioned to address the needs of these extreme conditions thanks to their high melting points, low densities, and high strength. Developing and optimizing ceram- ics for extreme environments, however, requires defining and quantifying materi- al behaviors that have the greatest impact on performance. In the article \"Holistic comparison of environmental barrier coating material candidates through design of a figure of merit,\" authors Ridley, Pinnisi, and Opila identify five major failure modes for environmental barrier coatings (Figure 1).¹ For each cate- gory, they normalized the property values and assigned 0 or 1 for \"threshold\" crite- ria, such as \"more than one stable phase.\" Using this figure of merit, they identified ytterbium phosphate as having the most favorable combination of properties. It can also be challenging to conduct in-situ property measurements under extreme conditions, such as the operating temperatures of gas turbines (~1,400°C). Often properties are measured under more manageable conditions, and models are used to extrapolate to the operating conditions. Though such methods have merit for screening purposes, analytical approaches are essential to designing and producing components that will meet stringent performance requirements. In the article \"Review of testing methods to inform materials selection in high-temperature structural applica- tions,\" Rossi et al. provide an overview of the current equipment and sample configurations used for high-temperature mechanical and environmental testing, focusing on the challenges of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs).² For example, the complexities of tensile testing of 38 Thermal Stresses Bond Coat Oxidation Figure of Merit Visualization Phase Instability Steam Reactivity SiO2 Yb₂03 Yb₂SiO Yb₂Si₂O BSAS HISIO YbPO CMAS Reactivity Figure 1. Figure of merit visualization for potential environmental barrier coating materials. Smaller encompassed areas indicate increased stability. CMCs at elevated temperatures include sample geometries, gripping methods, strain measurements, heating setup and temperature measurements, and environ- mental control. While this review provides many prac- tical considerations for testing material behavior and performance in elevated temperatures, it also exposes a criti- cal shortcoming. Due to many factors, including equipment operating limita- tions and interactions of samples and the equipment, the maximum achievable temperatures are approximately 3,000°C using graphite furnaces. Higher tempera- tures have been achieved by induction heating, though the electromagnetic prop- erties of the sample must be well charac- terized for accurate heating control. Measuring properties of materials, particularly those of liquids, at ultrahigh temperatures has led to the development of containerless methods. These methods avoid contamination from sample/mea- surement contact. But challenges with these methods remain, such as heating samples above 3,000°C while maintaining accurate temperature measurements. In the article \"Environmental comi- cal nozzle levitator equipped with dual wavelength lasers,\" Thorpe et al. describe aerodynamical levitation equipment that provides controlled environments for noncontact measurements.³ They use Credit: Ridley et al., JACerS carbon dioxide and ytterbium lasers to provide energy at short and mid-infrared wavelengths, which enable absorption and heating over a wide range of mate- rial types. While optical pyrometers are used to measure temperatures, the output is corrected to account for vari- system ability, such as observation angle and distance, along with material properties, such as emissivity. Using this method, the authors mea- sured the temperatures of some oxides and air-sensitive refractory metals in a reproducible (standard deviation ≤1.5%) and accurate (within 2.43% of literature values) manner. They measured the properties of molten hafnium oxide at approximately 4,000°C and demonstrated stable in-situ switching of atmosphere from oxidizing to inert at 2,900°C. In summary, ceramic materials have the potential to enable next-generation technology for energy, aerospace, and other applications that operate at ultra- high temperatures and in reactive environ- ments. The keys to discovery and develop- ment of new materials include defining the critical mechanical, chemical, and thermal properties and attaining reliable and reproducible in-situ measurements of the properties under operating condi- tions. Fortunately, many current practices can be adapted to meet the challenges of elevated temperatures, while new methods expand capabilities to obtain results at even higher temperatures. References \'Ridley et al., \"Holistic comparison of envi- ronmental barrier coating material candidates through design of a figure of merit,\" JACerS 2024, 107(7): 4405-4422. 2Rossi et al., \"Review of testing methods to inform materials selection in high-temperature structural applications,\" ACT 2024, 21(6): 3735-3770. 3Thorpe et al., “Environmental conical noz- zle levitator equipped with dual wavelength lasers,\" JACerS 2024, 107(3): 2010-2023. www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 The American Ceramic Society www.ceramics.org UPCOMING DATES WELCOME TO JAN. 26-31, 2025 Register to attend! Daytona Beach 49th International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composites (ICACC 2025) ceramics.org/icacc2025 HILTON DAYTONA BEACH RESORT AND OCEAN CENTER, DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. The 49th International Conference & Exposition on Advanced Ceramics & Composites (ICACC 2025) will provide a platform for state-of-the-art presentations and information exchange on cutting-edge ceramic and composite technologies. FEB. 25-28, 2025 Register to attend! Electronic Materials and Applications (EMA 2025) ceramics.org/ema2025 HILTON CITY CENTER, DENVER, CO. Jointly programmed by the Electronics Division and Basic Science Division, this conference is designed for those in- terested in electroceramic materials and their applications. MAY 4-9, 2025 Register to attend! SEPT. 28-OCT. 1, 2025 Submit your abstract! 16TH PACIFIC RIM CONFERENCE ON CERAMIC AND GLASS TECHNOLOGY and the GLASS & OPTICAL MATERIALS DIVISION MEETING (GOMD 2025) World of Science PACRIM Bend Technology 16 ACERS 127TH ANNUAL MEETING with MS&T25 MATERIALS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Organizers nerican ASSOCIATION FOR IRON & STEEL TECHNOLOGY AIST TMS The Minerals Metals & Merials Society ceramics.org/pacrim16 HILTON HYATT REGENCY VANCOUVER, VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA Join us in Vancouver from May 4-9, 2025, for the 16th Pacific Rim Conference on Ceramic and Glass Technology and the Glass & Optical Materials Division Meeting (GOMD 2025). matscitech.org/mst25 GREATER COLUMBUS CONVENTION CENTER, COLUMBUS, OHIO The Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) technical meeting and exhibition series is a long-standing, recognized forum for fostering technical innovation at the intersection of materials sci- ence, engineering, and application. At MS&T, you can learn from those who are on the cutting edge of their disciplines, share your work with the leading minds in your field, and build the valuable cross-disciplinary collaborations unique to this conference series. American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 | www.ceramics.org 39 calendar Calendar of events January 2025 26 Introduction to Thermal Spray Coatings: Science, Engineering, and Applications - Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, Daytona, Fla.; https://ceramics.org/course/berndt- intro-thermal-spray-coatings 26-31 49th International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composites (ICACC 2025) - Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, Daytona, Fla.; https://ceramics.org/icacc2025 30-31 Mechanical Properties of Ceramics and Glass 2025 - Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, Daytona, Fla.; https://ceramics.org/course/quinn- mechanical-properties February 2025 4-April 1✰Characterization of Refractory Microstructure - Virtual; https://ceramics.org/course/homeny- refractory-microstructure 25-28 EMA 2025: Basic Science and Electronics Division Meeting - Hilton City Center, Denver, Colo.; https://ceramics.org/ema2025 March 2025 25-26 60th Annual Greater Missouri Section / Refractory Ceramics Division Symposium on Refractories - St. Louis, Mo.; https://ceramics.org/refractories2025 The American Ceramic Society ceramics.org May 2025 4-9 16th Pacific Rim Conference on Ceramic and Glass Technology and the Glass & Optical Materials Division Meeting - Hyatt Regency Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada; https://ceramics.org/pacrim16 June 2025 9-11 ACers Structural Clay Products Division & Southwest Section Meeting in conjunction with the National Brick Research Center Meeting - Birmingham, Ala.; https://ceramics.org/clay2025 11-13 15th Advances in Cement-Based Materials Boulder, Colo.; https://ceramics.org/cements2025 July 2025 8-11 The 8th International Conference on the Characterization and Control of Interfaces for High Quality Advanced Materials - Highland Resort Hotel & Spa, Fujiyoshida, Japan; https:// ceramics.ynu.ac.jp/iccci2025/index.html September 2025 28-Oct. 1 ACers 127th Annual Meeting with Materials Science and Technology 2025 Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio; https://www.matscitech.org/MST25 October 2025 27-30 Unified International Technical Conference on Refractories - JW Marriott Cancún Resort & Spa, Cancún, Mexico; https://unitecr2025.com Electronic Materials and Applications (EMA 2025) February 25 - 28, 2025 Denver, CO, USA January 2026 25-30 International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composites (ICACC 2026) – Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, Daytona, Fla.; https://ceramics.org/icacc2026 April 2026 12-16 ACers Spring Meeting - Bellevue, Wash.; http://ceramics.org/acersspring May 2026 31-June 5 12th International Conference on High Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites (HTCMC 12) and Global Forum on Advanced Materials and Technologies for Sustainable Development [GFMAT 2026) Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, San Diego, Calif.; https://ceramics.org/htcmc12_gfmat2026 August 2026 31-Sept. 1➡ The International Conference on Sintering - Aachen, Germany; https://www.sintering2026.org/en Dates in RED denote new event in this issue. Entries in BLUE denote ACerS events. denotes meetings that ACerS cosponsors, endorses, or other- wise cooperates in organizing. denotes a short course ceramics.org/ema2025 40 40 www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 ●classified advertising Business Services custom finishing/machining Zircar Zirconia, Inc. Contract Machining Service 41 Years of Precision Ceramic Machining Since 1980 • Utmost Confidentiality • Alumina to Zirconia including MMC •Exacting Tolerances • Complex shapes to slicing & dicing •Fast & reliable service Ph: 714-538-2524 | Fx: 714-538-2589 Email: sales@advancedceramictech.com www.advancedceramictech.com • Custom forming of technical ceramics • Protype, short-run and high-volume production quantities • Multiple C.N.C. 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By Apurba Naskar Credit: Apurba Naskar Guest columnist Potential of polymer-derived synthesis for UHTC processing From the heart of nuclear reactors to the depths of: space, materials are increasingly expected to perform in extreme ther- mal and chemically reactive environments. Developing materials capable of meeting these demanding requirements presents a formidable challenge. However, ultrahigh-temperature ceramics (UHTCs) have the potential to meet these demands. UHTCs are the set of carbides, nitrides, and diborides of the group IV and V transition metals, notably zirconium and hafnium compounds, with melting points above 3,000°C. In addition to high melting points, UHTCs demonstrate excel- lent mechanical properties and structural stability thanks in part to the materials\' strong covalent bonds.\" Yet these very properties also create significant processing challenges. The elevated temperatures required for densifica- tion, combined with poor self-diffusion, hinder effective par- ticle bonding and promote agglomeration, which complicates the attainment of a fine particle size distribution. Furthermore, these issues make the fabrication of complex shapes difficult, as the materials require specialized processing techniques to achieve the desired form and performance. Polymer-derived ceramic (PDC) synthesis offers precise and cost-effective control of UHTC composition and microstruc- ture in various forms, including powders, dense monoliths, porous bodies, thin films, coatings, and fibers, with customiz- able properties. The selection of polymeric precursors and metal alkoxides or acetylacetonates for developing preceramic polymers determines the chemical modification pathway. Converting chemically modified polymeric precursors into ceramics involves two essential thermal treatment steps: 1. Preceramic polymers are crosslinked at low temperatures (100-400°C) to form organic/inorganic networks. These networks prevent the loss of low molecular weight pre- cursor components and improve ceramic yield. 2. Subsequent ceramization of the interconnected organic/ inorganic networks at 900-1,400°C transforms the poly- mer into a ceramic with an amorphous structure. This structure enhances the oxidation resistance and thermal stability. Longer high-temperature annealing treatments induce phase separation and crystallization through carbothermal and borothermal reactions, which may result in new thermal and electrical properties. Several methods are employed for fabricating bulk PDCs, including conventional pyrolysis of crosslinked pellets with or without use of different type of fillers materials into the matrix. Additionally, higher densification can be achieved by employing techniques such as hot pressing, isostatic press- ing, hot isostatic pressing, and spark plasma sintering (SPS). Among these methods, SPS is particularly advantageous for UHTCs because it minimizes grain growth and preserves a fine microstructure while offering rapid sintering, which is 44 a) c) CENTIMETERS b) Figure 1. a) Graphite mold placement inside the spark plasma sintering chamber. b) Mold radiating red hot light at high temperature. c) Samples after spark plasma sintering. crucial for optimizing the mechanical and thermal properties of the material.³ My research at The University of Alabama at Birmingham focuses on optimizing the processing parameters of SPS- enabled PDC synthesis of UHTCs. I started my work with the densification of silicon oxycarbide powders because these ceramics exhibit significant oxidation resistance due to a pro- tective silica layer produced during high-temperature exposure. So far, we have determined that the densification behavior of these ceramics demonstrates a significant increase in density from 1,300°C to 1,700°C. However, above 1,500°C, a decrease in density as well as porosity is observed, which is likely due to the formation of a more pronounced glassy phase at the par- ticle boundaries. Additional phase and microstructure analyses have revealed other interesting correlations, and I look forward to preparing these valuable insights for publication soon. References ¹B. C. Wyatt et al., “Ultra-high temperature ceramics for extreme environments,\" Nature Reviews Materials 2023, 9(11): 773-789. 2E. Ionescu et al., “Polymer-derived ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) and related materials,\" Advanced Engineering Materials 2019, 21(8): 1900269. ³M. Khoshghadam-Pireyousefan, A. Mohammadzadeh, A. Heidarzadeh, and D. Brabazon, \"Fundamentals of spark plasma sin- tering for metallic, ceramic, and polymer matrix composites produc- tion,\" in Encyclopedia of Materials: Composites, 2021. pp. 822-36. Apurba Naskar is a second-year graduate student in materials engi- neering at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. His research involves the densification of polymer-derived ceramics through spark plasma sintering. He likes to cook Indian and intercontinental food, draw portraits, capture landscape photography, and watch soccer. www.ceramics.org | American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol. 104, No. 1 7 Fr Ra A WELCOMING NEW FACULTY KIMTECH CJW 13 Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er T U Np Pu Am Cm Bk cf Es Fm CORNING BURN KIT MEDI-FIRST Dr. Rebecca Welch Alfred University welcomes Dr. Rebecca Welch as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering. A native of Cedar Rapids, IA, Welch holds a bachelor\'s degree in physics from Coe College, and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Penn State, where she was an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship recipient. Her research focuses on computational and experimental understanding of glass structures and properties. A recent project includes studying the technoeconomic feasibility of bottle reuse in New York with Alfred University\'s Center for Glass Innovation and Vitricity, a consulting company which helps organizations related to glass sustainability initiatives. Rebecca has a strong focus on the mentorship of undergraduate researchers and works to expand STEM outreach. Her efforts earned her the David W. Richardson Educational Outreach Award from ACerS and the Graduate Student Excellence in Mentorship award from Penn State\'s graduate program. She also leads 3-month workshops for students applying for the NSF GRFP, and teaches two courses at Alfred University. Welch serves as the adviser for Alfred University\'s Society of Women Engineers, facilitating the society\'s conference travel and outreach events with K-12 students in the local community. She also launched and organizes the now annual Night of Science & Arts, an outreach event featuring over 50 demonstrations by university departments. The event draws more than 500 participants from local schools, showcasing art, design, physics, ceramics, glass science, and chemistry. In the year ahead, Rebecca hopes to continue working with undergraduate researchers and expanding outreach to the rural school districts surrounding Alfred University. CACT Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology 1836 Alfred University OUTSIDE of ORDINARY 田 AMERICAN ELEMENTS THE MATERIALS SCIENCE MANUFACTURER Ⓡ palladium catalysts thin film nickel foam perovskite crystals glassy carbon III-IV semiconductors europium phosphors diamond micropowder buckyballs Nd:YAG alternative energy additive manufacturing MOFS 1.00794 Hydrogen nanogels Li Be 6.941 Lithium 12 9.012182 Beryllium 99.9999% aluminum oxide organometallics surface functionalized nanoparticles YBCO Na Mg nanodispersions MOCVD AuNPs EuFOD 19 22 98976928 Sodium K 39.0983 Potassium 38 24.306 Magnesium Ca 40.078 Calcium Rb Sr 85.4678 Cs 59 132.9054 Cesium Fr 56 87.62 Strontium Ba 137.327 Barium Ra 21 39 57 Sc 44.955912 Scandium 88.90585 Yttrium La 138.90547 Lanthanum Ac Ti 47.867 Titanium Zr 91.224 Zirconium Hf 178.48 Hafnium 23 41 73 50.9415 Vanadium 42 Cr 51.9961 Chromium Nb Mo 92.90638 Niobium Ta 180.9488 Tantalum 74 95.96 Molybdenum W 183.84 Tungsten 25 43 75 Mn 54.938045 Manganese Tc (98.0) Technetium Re 186.207 Rhenium 106 Db Sg Bh 3D graphene foam 26 44 76 Fe Co Ni Cu 55.845 Iron 45 58.933195 Cobalt Ru Rh 101.07 Ruthenium Os 190.23 Osmium 77 102.9055 Rhodium Ir 192.217 Iridium 46 78 58.6934 Nickel 47 63.546 Copper 48 13 31 10.811 Boron 14 12.0107 Carbon ΑΙ 26.9815386 Aluminum Si 28.0855 Silicon Ga 32 Ge metamaterials borophene He osmium 0 N 14.0067 Nitrogen 15.9994 Oxygen 15 33 P 30.973762 Phosphorus As S Sulfur Se Zn 65.38 Zinc 69.723 Gallium 72.64 Germanium 74.9216 Arsenic 78.96 Selenium Pd Ag Cd In 106.42 Palladium Pt 195.084 Platinum 79 Silver 80 112.411 Cadmium 81 114.818 Indium Au Hg Tl 196.966569 Gold Mercury 109 Mt 110 Ds 111 Rg Cn 113 204.3833 Thallium Nh 82 2114 Sn Sb Te 118.71 Tin 83 121.76 Antimony 84 127.6 Tellurium Pb Bi Po 207.2 Lead 115 208.9804 Bismuth (209) Polonium Mc Lv 108 Rf Hs (223) Francium (226) Radium (227) (267) (268) Actinium Rutherfordium Dubnium (271) Seaborgium (272) (270) Bohrium Hassium (276) Meitnerium (281) (280) (285) (284) Darmstadtium Roentgenium Copernicium Nihonium Flerovium Moscovium (293) Livermorium 17 35 53 85 117 F 18.9984032 Fluorine CI 35.453 Chlorine Br 79.904 Bromine 126.90447 lodine At Astatine 4.002602 Helium 10 54 86 118 Ne h-BN 20.1797 Neon Ar Invar 39.948 Argon Kr 83.798 Krypton Xe 131.293 Xenon Rn Radon Ts Og Tennessine Oganesson GDC NMC CIGS InAs wafers titanium aluminum carbide molybdenum TZM silver nanoparticles ITO niobium C103 Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu 90 Cerium 140.90765 Praseodymium 144.242 Neodymium quantum dots Th Pa 151.964 Promethium Samarium Europium 96 Gd Tb Dy Ho Er 157.25 Gadolinium 158.92535 Terbium 162.5 Dysprosium 93 Np Pu Am Cm Bk 99 Holmium 167.259 Erbium 101 Tm Yb Lu zircaloy -4 Thulium Ytterbium 100 102 Fm Md No Cf Es 232.03806 Thorium 231.03588 Protactinium 238.02891 Uranium (237) Neptunium (244) Plutonium (243) Americium Curium Berkelium (251) Californium (252) Einsteinium (257) Fermium (258) Mendelevium (259) Nobelium transparent ceramics UHP fluorides scandium powder 174.9668 Lutetium 103 Lr mischmetal (262) Lawrencium chalcogenides radiation shielding rare earth optical fiber dopants biosynthetics carbon nanotubes sputtering targets TM CVD precursors deposition slugs endohedral fullerenes Now Invent.\" gold nanocubes OLED lighting laser crystals flexible electronics platinum ink tungsten carbide The Next Generation of Ceramic Materials Manufacturers superconductors tantaloy 60 photovoltaics Bulk & lab scale manufacturers of over 35,000 certified high purity chemicals, metals, and nanoparticles, including ceramic compounds and precursors for our advanced ceramic manufacturing customers serving industries such as InGaAs zeolites aerospace, automotive, military, pharmaceutical, and electronics. graphene oxide ultra high purity materials metallic glass pyrolitic graphite Ti-6Al-4V AMERICAN American Elements Opens a World of Possibilities..... Now Invent! ELEMENTS 28 ANNIVERSARY 1997 - 2025 metals www.americanelements.com metallocenes silica 99.99999% mercury li-ion battery materials SOFC powder © 2001-2025. American Elements is a U.S.Registered Trademark