Research areas
- Advanced ceramic materials with functional properties
- Ballistic resistant ceramic and composite materials
- Biocompatible, biodegradable and bioactive ceramic materials
- Porous ceramic materials
- Progressive sintering methods of ceramic materials
Main objectives
- Advanced ceramic materials with functional properties - our group is engaged in research in the field of ceramic materials with optical, electrical or magnetic properties that are interestingly attractive in terms of basic research or their application potential. These are mainly transparent, luminescent, piezo-electric, (multi-)ferroic or dielectric properties and their combinations. These are phase, chemical and/or structurally defined materials (mostly crystalline), the resulting properties of which are often significantly influenced by the chosen method of their preparation.
- Ballistic resistant ceramic and composite materials - the development of these materials and related technologies belong to our team's applied research activities. These materials (armours) protect against armour-piercing (AP) ammunition penetration. We are developing ceramic-polymer and innovative ceramic-metal composites for several military and civil applications.
- Biocompatible, biodegradable and bioactive ceramics - these materials serve primarily as dental or bone replacements and fillings, which can be designed (chemical composition and macro / micro-structure) as permanent or temporary replacements. The bioreactors and nerve bridging pathways can be included in their possible applications.
- Porous ceramics - only the materials where the porosity is desirable are considered within this category, such as materials with low thermal conductivity or specific mechanical and/or structural properties. This category partially overlaps with materials for bio-applications, in which porosity also performs some secondary tasks such as permeability for body fluids and drugs.
- Progressive sintering methods - we use not only classical but new methods and techniques to be able to prepare some advanced ceramic materials or to achieve some specific structural or chemical characteristics (cold sintering, rapid sintering, Spark Plasma Sintering - SPS, Hot Isostatic Pressing - HIP, two-step sintering, flash sintering, etc.)
Content of research
- Sintering process modelling - thanks to highly accurate instruments, we can study the kinetics of the sintering process. With these precise data, we can calculate the model which can predict the advanced ceramic materials' characteristics when the conditions of the production process change.
- Synthesis, shaping and final processing - our research group has a wide range of production equipment that allows us to prepare and optimise the processes of preparation of advanced ceramic materials based on oxides and carbides.
- Measurement – with precise analytical instruments, we can determine a wide range of resulting physical, structural and functional properties of the prepared materials.
- Development of new technologies - we use experience from previous categories to improve existing technologies and research new directions and approaches to prepare advanced ceramic materials and their composites more effectively.
