A basic process, sintering: heating a cluster of powder to a high temperature so that the grains conglomerate, forming a compact more or less porous structure, with remarkable properties such as chemical inertia and hardness.
The aim of the UP is to provide basic knowledge about the ceramic materials. An introduction will define these materials, to explain the difference between them and the other materials and to present their main characteristics. Then different topics will be detailed with courses and tutorials: description of the steps of fabrication of ceramics, technical and traditional ceramics, mechanical properties. Glasses and mineral binders will be presented because they are mineral materials, as ceramics. Different applications of ceramics will be pre sented: health, defence, energy. Some sessions will be dedicated to analysis of documents by the students (eg : scientific articles) about ceramics for health. It will enable the students to work autonomously. Moreover, during a session of practical work, the students will prepare samples of ceramics and they will work with devices from the laboratory (Center Sciences des Matériaux et des Structures from Ecole des Mines).
| On completion of the unit, the student will be capable of: | Classification level | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Knowing the ceramic materials and the other mineral materials (glasses, mineral binders) | 1. Knowledge | Essential |
| Knowing the steps of the fabrication of ceramics | 1. Knowledge | Essential |
| Knowing some applications of ceramics | 1. Knowledge | Essential |
| Knowing the properties of ceramics | 1. Knowledge | Essential |
| Understanding the link between fabrication, structures and final properties | 2. Understand | Essential |
| Reading a scientific article and extracting information | 3. Apply | Important |
| Percentage ratio of individual assessment | Percentage ratio of group assessment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exam: | 75 | % | Project submission: | 0 | % |
| Individual oral exam: | 0 | % | Group presentation: | 0 | % |
| Individual presentation: | 0 | % | Group practical exercise: | 0 | % |
| Individual practical exercise: | 0 | % | Group report: | 0 | % |
| Individual report: | 25 | % | |||
| Other(s): 0 % | |||||
| Type of teaching activity | Content, sequencing and organisation |
|---|---|
| Courses | Introduction, fabrication of ceramics, mechanical properties, glasses, mineral binders |
| Tutorials | Application of the different concepts presented during the courses, especially to understand the link between fabrication, structures and properties |
| Practical work | A session in the laboratories to prepare samples and discover different devices from a research group |
| Work session with documents | Oral presentation from scientific articles about ceramics for health |