"The book presents a state-of-the-art survey of ceramics and composites. It focuses on the flexible and efficient manufacture of objects with specific shapes, complexity and tailor-made characteristics and properties. Keywords: Metal Matrix Composites, Polymer Matrix Composites, Ceramic Composite Materials, Composite Manufacturing Methods, Compressive Pouring, Vacuum Bagging, Filament Winding, Centrifugal Casting, Pultrusion, Automatic Fiber Positioning, Automatic Laying, Tape, Aeronautical Applications, Missile Aerospace Systems, Marine Applications, Prevention of Earthquake Damage, Machine Construction, Rubber Laminates, Flexible Gaskets."--.

• Table of Contents
• Introduction
  • References
• Composites Matrices and Reinforcements
  • 1.1. Metal matrix composites
  • 1.2. Polymer matrix composites
  • 1.3. Ceramic materials
    • 1.3.1. Ceramic composite materials
    • 1.3.2. Basic ceramic materials
    • 1.3.2.1. Barium titanate
    • 1.3.2.2. Lead zirconate titanate
    • 1.3.2.3. Ferrite
    • 1.3.2.4. Aluminum oxide
    • 1.3.2.5. Forsterite
    • 1.3.2.6. Zirconium dioxide
    • 1.3.2.7. Zirconium silicate
    • 1.3.2.8. Mullite
    • 1.3.2.9. Steatite
    • 1.3.2.10. Cordierite
    • 1.3.2.11. Aluminum nitride
    • 1.3.2.12. Silicon filler
    • 1.3.2.13. Silicon carbide
  • 1.4. Reinforcement materials
    • 1.4.1. Fiberglass
    • 1.4.1.1. Mechanical properties
    • 1.4.1.2. Chemical properties
  • References
• Composites Manufacturing and Applications
  • 2.1. Composite manufacturing methods
    • 2.1.1. Pre-impregnation manufacturing
    • 2.1.2. Compressive pouring
    • 2.1.3. Vacuum bagging manufacturing method
    • 2.1.4. Resin transfer molding method
    • 2.1.5. Filament winding manufacturing method
    • 2.1.6. Centrifugal casting manufacturing method
    • 2.1.7. Automatic Fiber Positioning (AFP) and Automatic Laying Tape (ATL)
    • 2.1.8. Pultrusion manufacturing method
  • 2.2. Properties of composite materials
  • 2.3. Applications of composite materials
    • 2.3.1. Aeronautical industry
    • 2.3.2. Applications at high temperatures
    • 2.3.3. Missile aerospace systems
    • 2.3.4. Marine applications
    • 2.3.5. Protection of buildings against the effects of earthquakes
    • 2.3.6. Construction of machines and commercial applications
    • 2.3.7. Flexible gaskets
    • 2.3.8. Rubber laminates and non-metallic plates
  • References
• Experimental Investigations in Ceramics Improvement
  • 3.1. Materials and methods
    • 3.1.1. Alumina
    • 3.1.2. Silica
    • 3.1.3. Magnesia
    • 3.1.4. Nanoclay
    • 3.1.5. Screening/sifting process
    • 3.1.6. Determination of the density of alumina powder
    • 3.1.7. Particle size distribution analysis
    • 3.1.8. The milling process
    • 3.1.9. The sintering processes
  • 3.2. Experimental damples manufacturing
    • 3.2.1. Manufacture of alumina samples
    • 3.2.2. Manufacture of samples from alumina and magnesium oxide
    • 3.2.3. Manufacture of samples from alumina and silicon oxide (molded)
    • 3.2.4. Manufacture of samples from mullite and magnesium oxide
  • 3.3. Experimental results
    • 3.3.1. Samples characteristics
    • 3.3.2. Diametral compression
    • 3.3.3. Hardness testing by Vickers method
    • 3.3.4. Manufacture of nanoclay samples and their characteristics after the sintering process
    • 3.3.5. Testing nanoclay samples at diametric compression and hardness
    • 3.3.6. Samples obtained by another sintering process
    • 3.3.6.1. The second sintering process
    • 3.3.6.2. Diameter compression
    • 3.3.6.3. Vickers hardness testing
  • 3.4. Conclusions
    • 3.4.1. The samples with alumina and nanoclay addition
    • 3.4.2. Conclusions on alumina samples with magnesium oxide
  • References
  • Appendix 1. Samples and their characteristics
• Experimental Investigations in Composites Improvement
  • 4.1. Materials
  • 4.2. Methods
  • 4.3. Samples testing
  • 4.4. Conclusions
  • References
• About the Authors