Ceramic precursor, plastic

The polymers of the 2-cyanoacryhc esters, more commonly known as the alkyl 2-cyaiioacrylates, are hard glassy resins that exhibit excellent adhesion to a wide variety of materials. The polymers are spontaneously formed when their Hquid precursors or monomers are placed between two closely fitting surfaces. The spontaneous polymerisation of these very reactive Hquids and the excellent adhesion properties of the cured resins combine to make these compounds a unique class of single-component, ambient-temperature-curing adhesives of great versatiUty. The materials that can be bonded mn the gamut from metals, plastics, most elastomers, fabrics, and woods to many ceramics. 

The focus here on self-organizing polymers, electrical and optical properties, and biosynthesis is not even close to comprehensive in the enumeration of avenues and opportunities in new polymeric materials. Degradable plastics that do not remain in our environment forever [24] and polymer precursors to ceramics [19] and inorganic fibers are two of many more areas in which new polymeric materials will provide new challenges to engineers in production and processing. 

Silicon-containing preceramic polymers are useful precursors for the preparation of ceramic powders and fibers and for ceramic binder applications (i). Ceramic fibers are increasingly important for the reinforcement of ceramic, plastic, and metal matrix composites (2, 3). This chapter will emphasize those polymer systems that have been used to prepare ceramic fibers. An overview of polymer and fiber processing, as well as polymer and fiber characterization, will be described to illustrate the current status of this field. Finally, some key issues will be presented that must be addressed if this area is to continue to advance. 

Other uses for continuous-filament industrial yams include reinforcement cords for plastics, as a precursor for carbon and ceramic filaments, and for tents, awnings, strappings, etc. 

Commercial preparation of ceramic foam starts with a foamed organic precursor having the same porosity as the desired final product [14-19]. The most common organic precursor is polyurethane, which is available m the form of flexible, open cell foams with pore sizes ranpng from 4 to 30 pores cm (10 to 80 pores inch" ). However, other organic plastics, such as polyolefins, are equally suitable. The pores of the organic precursor are then filled with an aqueous slurry of the desired ceramic. This typically... 

Piezoceramic materials are chemically inert and physically strong. In fibre form, they have anisotropic structures. Usually, ceramic fibres are produced by the spinning of an organic or mineral precursor fibre, followed by heat treatment and pyrolysis (Hearle, 2001). Piezoceramic fibres comprising lead zirconate/lead titanate exhibit better sensitivity in terms of piezoelectric activity and elevated operating temperatures (Swallow et al., 2008). PZT fibres can be manufactured by various processes, such as sol-gel, viscous suspension spinning, extrusion and viscous plastic processing, some of which are already commercially available (Strock et al., 1999 Meyer et al., 1998 French and Cass, 1998 Meister et al., 2003 Bowen et al., 2006). 

This chapter is concerned with continuous ceramic fibres derived from organosilicon polymers, and does not cover precursors to oxide ceramics. It should be noted that effective reinforcement of ceramic matrices can be achieved with whiskers and certain particulate materials, as well as continuous fibres, but these materials are not usually made from polymer precursors and fall outside the scope of this chapter. Apart from reinforcement of ceramics, continuous ceramic fibres have considerable potential for reinforcement of light alloys when enhanced strength and modulus is required at elevated temperature. There is also much interest in the development of plastic matrix... 

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