| Abstract Scope |
Achieving high-performance ceramic materials depends heavily on the processing and manufacturing routes used at every stage. At California Nanotechnologies (Cal Nano), we specialize in advanced powder preparation, cryogenic milling, and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) to engineer ceramic microstructures with optimized mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. This presentation will cover how these techniques enablee us to tailor phase composition, grain growth, porosity, and residual stress in advanced ceramics. We will share examples from our work on hard-to-sinter ceramics for energy and aerospace applications, highlighting how emerging sintering methods like SPS that offer new pathways for improving performance while reducing processing time and energy use. The session will also touch on how integration of advanced monitoring, rapid sintering, and custom tooling supports the transition from lab-scale R&D to scalable ceramic manufacturing. Cal Nano’s work illustrates how careful processing control is key to unlocking the full potential of next-generation ceramic materials. |