Transparent ceramics gain much attention as an alternative medium for high power ultra-short lasers because of its superior thermal properties over single crystals. Measurement of nonlinear refractive index is essential to understand the limit of such material for ultra-short laser generation. Dual arm Z-scan technique was employed to measure n2 for single crystal and ceramic at the same time t...

A preferred piezoelectric ceramic material is a BiFeO3—PbZrO3—PbTiO3 ternary solid solution wherein proportions of the constituent perovskite metal oxides are selected so that the material exhibits relatively high Curie temperatures above 380° C. and useful piezoelectric properties. Disciplines Ceramic Materials This patent is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: http://lib.dr...

To maximize the toughening contributions due to fiber bridging and residual stresses upon layering, ultra-high temperature ceramics containing variable amounts of short carbon in functionally graded stacking sequences were designed characterized. Stress fields evaluated by finite element model on (AB)nA more complex asymmetric architectures compared experimental fracture toughness pointing an e...

Abstract: The refractory diborides (HfB2 and ZrB2) are considered as promising ultra-high temperature ceramic (UHTCs) where low damage tolerance limits their application for the thermal protection system in re-entry vehicles. In this regard, SiC and CNT have been synergistically added as the sintering aids and toughening agents in the spark plasma sintered (SPS) HfB2-ZrB2 system. Herein, a nove...