Cellular ceramics: Intriguing structures, novel properties, and innovative applications

Cellular ceramics are a class of high-porosity materials that are used or are being considered for a wide range of technological applications. A critical aspect of this development is the materials science approach required to understand the relationships between the properties of these materials and their structure. Of particular interest are the parameters that control mechanical reliability, as ceramic materials are usually brittle. In addition, it is critical to understand the way in which processing methods can influence the cellular structure. This article emphasizes one particular group of cellular ceramics known as ceramic foams. Understanding these materials involves various interdisciplinary scientific challenges in characterizing structure, developing micromechanical models, experimentally measuring properties, developing new processing approaches and optimizing performance.