| Preface | p. xi |
| Symbols | p. xiii |
| Introduction: the variety of ceramic systems | |
| Introduction | p. 1 |
| From traditional to advanced ceramics | p. 1 |
| Structural and refractory applications of engineering ceramics | p. 2 |
| Electroceramics | p. 10 |
| High-temperature oxide superconductors | p. 10 |
| Conventional routes to ceramics | |
| Introduction | p. 17 |
| Precipitation from solution | p. 17 |
| Powder mixing techniques | p. 19 |
| Fusion routes to ceramics | p. 20 |
| The need for improved synthetic routes to advanced ceramics | p. 22 |
| Ceramic fabrication | |
| Introduction | p. 23 |
| Solid-state sintering | p. 23 |
| Uniaxial pressing | p. 25 |
| Hot uniaxial pressing | p. 26 |
| Isostatic pressing | p. 26 |
| Reaction-bonding | p. 27 |
| Slip casting | p. 28 |
| Injection molding | p. 28 |
| Strength and toughness in ceramic systems | p. 29 |
| Sol-gel processing of colloids | |
| Introduction | p. 33 |
| The nature of colloids | p. 33 |
| The stability of colloids | p. 34 |
| Sol formation through cation hydrolysis | p. 39 |
| Outline of the sol-gel process for colloids | p. 40 |
| Sol-gel in the nuclear industry | p. 42 |
| Gel precipitation in the nuclear industry | p. 44 |
| Industrial applications of sol-gel processing | p. 44 |
| Summary | p. 56 |
| Sol-gel processing of metal-organic compounds | |
| Introduction | p. 58 |
| The synthesis of metal alkoxides | p. 58 |
| The physical properties of alkoxides | p. 60 |
| Outline of the sol-gel process for alkoxides | p. 62 |
| Development of the sol-gel process for alkoxides | p. 63 |
| Alkoxide-derived coatings | p. 75 |
| Monodispersed sub-micrometre oxide powders | p. 82 |
| Organically modified silicates | p. 87 |
| Summary | p. 88 |
| Non-aqueous liquid-phase reactions | |
| Introduction | p. 89 |
| The reaction between silicon tetrachloride and ammonia in the liquid phase | p. 89 |
| General reactions of chlorosilanes with ammonia and amines | p. 95 |
| Synthesis of non-oxide ceramics other than silicon nitride using liquid-phase reactions | p. 96 |
| Summary | p. 98 |
| Polymer Pyrolysis | |
| Introduction | p. 99 |
| Synthesis of polysilanes | p. 99 |
| The polysilane-polycarbosilane conversion | p. 101 |
| [beta]-Silicon carbide fibres from polycarbosilanes | p. 103 |
| Polysilastyrene | p. 107 |
| Nitride and oxynitride fibres by polymer pyrolysis | p. 108 |
| Composites, monoliths and coatings derived from polymer pyrolysis | p. 111 |
| Summary | p. 113 |
| Hydrothermal synthesis of ceramic powders | |
| Introduction | p. 114 |
| Forced hydrolysis of solutions at elevated temperatures and pressures | p. 114 |
| Hydrothermal reactions using salt solutions | p. 115 |
| Hydrothermal reactions involving phase transformations | p. 120 |
| Hydrothermal reactions using metal reactants | p. 123 |
| Summary | p. 123 |
| Gas-phase reactions | |
| Introduction | p. 124 |
| Gas-phase nucleation | p. 124 |
| Flame-hydrolysed powders | p. 127 |
| Direct nitridation and carbothermic reduction | p. 128 |
| Non-plasma gas-phase reactions | p. 131 |
| Plasma reactions | p. 136 |
| The silicon-sulphur-nitrogen system | p. 139 |
| Electron-beam evaporation | p. 141 |
| Summary | p. 142 |
| Miscellaneous synthetic routes to ceramic materials | |
| Introduction | p. 143 |
| The citrate gel process | p. 143 |
| Pyrolysis of metal alkoxides | p. 144 |
| Rapid expansion of supercritical solutions | p. 145 |
| Freeze-drying | p. 146 |
| Determination of particle size | |
| Introduction | p. 148 |
| Gas adsorption | p. 148 |
| X-ray line broadening | p. 150 |
| Transmission electron microscopy | p. 150 |
| Scanning electron microscopy | p. 150 |
| Light scattering | p. 151 |
| Small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering | p. 153 |
| Sedimentation methods | p. 154 |
| Chromatographic methods | p. 155 |
| Sieving | p. 155 |
| References | p. 156 |
| Index | p. 180 |
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