Properties, preparation and requirements to testing of ceramic materials

The strength of ceramic materials is mainly defined by the defect or flaw size in the bulk as well as on the surface of the component. Defects can have various origins like raw materials, processing, moulding, sintering, and finishing. For a break through of ceramics as engineering materials the minimization of flaw size and concentration is necessary as well as the improvement of non-destructive test procedures. The test methods should be able to detect bulk and surface flaws, even in complex component shapes, to detect density fluctuations, especially in green bodies, and stresses in the final compound. They should be adaptable to industrial production processes.