Influence of corrosion and mechanical loads on advanced ceramic components

Advanced oxide ceramics are prospective materials for severe application conditions, including corrosion, particularly, in oxygen-rich environments, combined with the action of mechanical loads. The corrosion behavior and mechanical strength decrease of oxide ceramics, such as high alumina, alumina-mullite and zirconia-based ceramics, were studied in water steam supercritical conditions (elevated temperatures and pressures). The strength decrease under the action of the studied aggressive environment is mostly dealt with the glassy phase dissolution and intergranular corrosion for alumina-mullite and high alumina ceramics, while degradation of zirconia-based ceramics is also dealt with the phase transformation. The influence of structure defects related to processing of the ceramics on corrosion is considered. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.