YSZ (Y2O3-stabilized zirconia)-based ceramics have excellent mechanical properties, such as high strength and wear resistance. In the application, YSZ is utilized in the bead mill, a fine-grinding process. YSZ-based parts, such as the rotor and pin, can be easily damaged by continuous application with high rpm in the bead mill process. In that case, adding WC particles improves the tribological and mechanical properties. YSZ-30 vol.% WC composite ceramics are manufactured via hot pressing under different pressures (10/30/60 MPa). The hot-pressed composite ceramics measure the physical properties, such as porosity and bulk density values. In addition, the phase formation of these composite ceramics is analyzed and discussed with those of physical properties. For the increased applied pressure of hot pressing, the tetragonality of YSZ and the crystallinity of WC are enhanced. The mechanical properties indicate an improved tendency with the increase in the applied pressure of hot pressing.

SiC-based composite materials with light weight, high durability, and high-temperature stability have been actively studied for use in aerospace and defense applications. Moreover, environmental barrier coating (EBC) technologies using oxide-based ceramic materials have been studied to prevent chemical deterioration at a high temperature of 1300℃ or higher. In this study, an ytterbium silicate material, which has recently been actively studied as an environmental barrier coating because of its high-temperature chemical stability, is fabricated on a sintered SiC substrate. Yb2O3 and SiO2 are used as the raw starting materials to form ytterbium disilicate (Yb2Si2O7). Suspension plasma spraying is applied as the coating method. The effect of the mixing method on the particle size and distribution, which affect the coating formation behavior, is investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. It is found that the originally designed compounds are not effectively formed because of the refinement and vaporization of the raw material particles, i.e., SiO2, and the formation of a porous coating structure. By changing the coating parameters such as the deposition distance, it is found that a denser coating structure can be formed at a closer deposition distance.

Rare-earth zirconates, such as lanthanum zirconates and gadolinium zirconates, have been intensively investigated due to their excellent properties of low thermal conductivity as well as chemical stability at high temperature, which can make these materials ones of the most promising candidates for next-generation thermal barrier coating applications. In this study, three compositions, lanthanum/gadolinium zirconates with reduced rare-earth contents from stoichiometric RE2Zr2O7 compositions, are fabricated via solid state reaction as well as sintering at 1600oC for 4 hrs. The phase formation, microstructure, and thermo-physical properties of three oxide ceramics are examined. In particular, each oxide ceramics exhibits composite structures between pyrochlore and fluorite phases. The potential of lanthanum/ gadolinium zirconate ceramics for TBC applications is also discussed.

Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O 계에서 상형성에 관해 연구하였다. 임계온도가 80K인 초전도체는 Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu의 몰비율이 2:2:1:2의 성분으로부터 solid state synthesis의 방법으로 합성하였다. 이때 이상에 대한 x-ray diffraction pattern은 모두 색인하였다. 2:2:1를 기본으로한 solid solution의 형성을 Bi2Sr2-xCa1+yCu2O8+δ으로 단일상(single phase)을 형성하고 있으며, 이때 x와 y의 범위는 0<x<0.3 그리고 0<y<0.3이다. 높은 임계온도의 초전도체상(2223)은 BiSrCaCu2Ox의 조성식으로부터 거의 순수한 상을 합성하였다. 이 상에 대한 합성조건은 특별히 구조상의 긴영역의 확산과 아울러 매우 좁은 온도영역의 안정성 때문에 매우 까다롭다. 이 실험의 결과 105K초전도체상은 오직 Cu의 양이 많은 조성으로부터만 형성되었고, 105K로 전이시 긴 저항꼬리가 있는 점으로 보아 grain boundaries 에서의 불순물로 추정된다.

기계적 합금화(mechanical alloying:MA) 방법에 의해 원소 Nb와 Al의 혼합분말로부터 금속간 화합물 NbA1₃와 비정질상을 얻었다. 혼합분말의 조성은 Nb-45wt%Al(75at%Al)으로 하였으며, 기계적 합금화는 고에너지 SPEX8000 mixer/mill을 사용하여 72시간까지 행하였다. 얻어진 분말은 XRD, DTA, SEM 및 TEM으로 분석했다. 기계적 합금화 초기 단계의 분말은 층상 구조를 나타냈고, 정상상태에 도달하였을 때는 분말 내에서 원소 Nb와 Al이 균일하게 분포되어 있었다. 4시간 기계적 합금화를 하였을 때 금속간 화합물 NbA1₃가 형성되었다. 기계적 합금화된 분말들은 안정한 NbA1₃형성 및 응력 완화에 해당되는 600℃ 근처에서 큰 발열 peak을 나타냈다.