Overview: Ceramic Materials

The Ceramics Focus Area is concerned with the processing, testing and characterization of ceramic materials. The particular area of interest to this Focus Area is that of ceramics made of ultrahard materials, such as diamond and cubic boron nitride, or of novel ultrahard materials such as boron suboxide. These materials are typically studied in the form of composites with other ceramic or metal phases that impart to them other desirable properties such as higher strength and/or fracture toughness.

The materials developed and studied are aimed at applications as wear parts, cutting tools and ballistic armour. The focus area is well equipped with state of the art equipment and is supported by a world-wide network of collaborators based in some of the world?s best centres of excellence.

All research conducted in the Focus Area is sponsored by industry, these sponsors including some of the most prominent South African companies. All students studying on projects of the Focus Area are typically employed by the companies funding the projects.