A Digital Library of Ceramic Microstructures

The Advanced Ceramics and Glasses group is working with several other universities and companies to create a Web-based digital library of microstructures for functional ceramics, with an emphasis on materials used for structural, electronic, and thermal applications. This library can be used in ceramic education to (1) illustrate the role of microstructures in dictating the macroscopic properties, (2) highlight changes in the microstructure resulting from degradation processes (corrosion, creep, oxidation, dielectric breakdown, etc.) associated with the intended function, and (3) conduct virtual measurements of selected properties.

An example of identical microstructures from the DLCM using reflected microscopy and cathode luminescence microscopy.

Over 400 photomicrographs or digital images of ceramic microstructures have so far been generated for this library. They were obtained by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and cathode luminescence microscopy techniques. Each image is linked to information on the preparation and properties of each material sample through a list of descriptors contained in an Excel file. The images and the Excel file, together with a Web interface, constitute the digital library.

The Website has information on how to use the site and display images. There is a search routine for selecting photomicrographs taken from ceramics with specific properties. In addition, several virtual experiments can be performed on the Website. Programming has so far been completed to enable experiments to be conducted to determine the hardness, fracture toughness, elastic modulus, failure probability and slow crack growth behavior of structural ceramics.