Overview: Ceramic Materials

The Ceramics Focus Area is involved with the processing, testing and characterisation of ceramic materials. Areas of particular interest are ceramics made of hard materials, Ultra High Temperature ceramics, ceramics for diamond synthesis and ceramics for bio prosthesis applications. 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 biomaterials involve the development of ceramics for hip and possibly spine prosthesis.

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. A large part of the research conducted in the Focus Area is sponsored by industry. These sponsors include some of the most prominent companies in South Africa. All students conducting research on projects in the Focus Area are typically employed by the companies funding the projects.