Ceramics

Cerablak HTS™ is an ideal sealant for refractories and advanced ceramics and composite materials. Improved durability of expensive, engineered ceramic materials is a key property sought by end-users across aerospace, defense, and energy industries. Engineered porosity in conventional refractories and advanced ceramics serves important purposes in service; however, environmental degradation is a significant concern and innovative sealants are being sought to prevent degradation while maintaining or enhancing baseline properties.

Demonstrations

Sealing of Fused Silica: With minimal increase in density of porous slip-cast fused silica, Cerablak HTS™ has effectively sealed this material against moisture and gas diffusion, as demonstrated by helium leak testing shown at right. The sealed materials have been thermally cycled to >600°C prior to testing, demonstrating the sealant’s stability against thermal treatment/cycling.

Sealing of Porcelain Enamel: Commonly-used porcelain enamel has relatively smooth surfaces, but micro-scale surface porosity causes adhesion and fouling in many applications.  Cerablak UTF™ can planarize porcelain enamel and seal surface porosity for effective non-stick properties from room temperature to elevated temperatures.

Infiltration of Thermal or Plasma Sprayed Coatings: Thermal- or plasma-sprayed metal, ceramic, and metal-ceramic composite coatings are used in many heavy industrial applications. Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) microstructures of plasma spray coatings are highly porous and non-uniform at the micro-scale, allowing environmental degradation at high temperatures in service. Cerablak HTS™ products can infiltrate the micro-scale porosity of plasma spray coatings and help maintain designed performance levels. Specifically, molten silicate (e.g. CMAS) is a severe problem faced by TBC community.