Transparent Ceramics Armors

Applications of transparent ceramics are covered in the last two chapters, with Chap. 9 focusing on solid-state lasers with transparent ceramics and Chap. 10 on all other applications of transparent ceramics. In Chap. 9, besides traditional transparent laser ceramics, advanced ceramic laser technologies, including composite ceramics and crystal fibers (not ceramics), are also included, in order to demonstrate new research and development direction of solid-state lasers. In Chap. 10, other applications, such as lighting, scintillation, armor, potential biomaterials, and so on, are summarized and discussed. 

Besides their applications in solid-state lasers, transparent ceramics have been found to be applicable in many other areas, such as lighting, scintillators, opto-electric devices, optical systems and armors, which will be discussed in detail in this chapter. New applications of transparent ceramics, e.g., as biomaterials, will also be mentioned at the end of this chapter. 

Goldman LM, Foti R, Smith M, Kashalikar U, Sastri S (2010) AlON (R) transparent armor. In Swab JJ (eds) Advances in ceramic armor V, pp 225-232... 

Figure 1.2 Comparison of an opaque tile (advanced ceramic armor, residual porosity 0.3%) and of a transparent window (residual porosity unmeasurable <0.03%) [35]. 

In addition to the above mentioned transparent ceramic systems, there are other systems studied in SICCAS including the infrared ceramics for windows, domes and armors such as SiAION, AlON, etc. 

Construction of transparent armors follows the principles that have been well established for their opaque counterparts. Armor against advanced threats has a typically structure as shown in Fig. 10.19 [165]. The front-face layer should be as hard as possible, in order to damage the projectiles in maximum range. Ideally, it should be harder than the projectile core. Currently, several hardened glasses or glass ceramics are being used. This layer is the weak point of present transparent... 

Krell A, Strassburger E (2007) Ballistic strength of opaque and transparent armor. Am Ceram... 

Goldman LM, Twedt R, Balasubramanian S, Sastri S (2011) AlON (R) optical ceramic transparencies for window, dome and transparent armor applications. Window Dome Technol Mater XII 8016 801608... 

Salem JA (2013) Transparent armor ceramics as spacecraft windows. J Am Ceram Soc 96 281-289... 

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