Engineering
Sintering of a Ceramic for High-Temperature Shielding
Quick fact
When a ceramic powder is heated to about two-thirds of its melting point, the particles begin to fuse together on their own, driven by the natural tendency to reduce surface energy—no external pressure needed.
Why this is interesting
You might think that making a tough, heat-resistant ceramic shield requires extreme pressure or melting. But often, the secret lies in simply heating a compacted powder—without melting it—so that it fuses into a solid, dense block.