China’s Ceramics Set to Revolutionize Aircraft Industry

Scientists from the University of Guangzhou have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of materials science, developing a new type of porous ceramics that could revolutionize the aerospace industry, energy sector, and chemical engineering. This innovative material boasts exceptional mechanical strength and thermal insulation properties, making it ideal for use in hypersonic aircraft.

One of the main challenges in creating porous ceramics has been maintaining high mechanical strength while preserving thermal insulation properties. Traditional porous materials tend to lose their strength and compress at high temperatures, rendering them unsuitable for aerospace applications. However, the researchers at the University of Guangzhou have overcome these limitations with a unique multi-level structural design.

The newly developed ceramic material, named 9pheb, is capable of withstanding extreme temperatures of up to 2000 degrees Celsius while retaining its size and strength. This material is composed of nine cationic components and is based on the concept of high entropy, allowing for the development of custom microstructures and properties.

9PHEB exhibits a porosity of approximately 50%, yet its compression strength at room temperature is around 337 MPa, significantly surpassing that of previously known porous ceramics. Moreover, unlike conventional fragile ceramics, this material demonstrates plastic deformation at a temperature of 2000 degrees Celsius. During deformation at high temperatures, the material experienced 49% of the original stress, enhancing its strength to 690 MPa—more than twice its initial strength.

Following annealing at a temperature of 2000 degrees Celsius, the material underwent a minimal reduction in size of only 2.4%, with no change in volume. The material’s exceptional mechanical and thermal properties can be attributed to its multi-level design, which includes super-fine pores at the micro level, high-quality interfaces at the nano level, and significant distortion of the crystal lattice at the atomic level.

The microstructure of the ceramics consists of 92% super-fine pores, ranging in size from 0.8 to 1.2 micrometers, providing unparalleled thermal insulation properties. Furthermore, robust intermolecular connections at the nano level enhance its mechanical strength. At the atomic level, the distortion of the crystal lattice, resulting from the high entropy design, improves rigidity and reduces thermal conductivity.

These exceptional characteristics make the material highly suitable for use in extreme conditions. Zuan Lay, Associate Professor of the Department