Page 30 - Curriculum Visions Dynamic Book

Ceramics in engines of the future
Jet engines place the highest demands on materials. At the moment various different metals are used for turbine blades and other parts. However, these materials cannot meet the needs of the future, when engines will have to be lighter and yet more powerful. This is where new silicon compounds are likely to be used.
Silicon carbide is one such ceramic material. Components made with it can operate at temperatures up to 1600°C, well beyond the melting point of many metals.
The disadvantage of ceramics is their brittleness, so at the moment their use is limited. However, by making composite materials of fibre reinforced metals and ceramics, many of these problems can be overcome. Weight for weight, titanium metal reinforced with silicon carbide
is twice as strong as a titanium alloy. Glass and glass–ceramic reinforced with silicon carbide fibres may also be used in the future for even stronger and lighter materials.
 Silicon carbide in mineral form is known as carborundum. It is very hard and widely used in abrasive powders.
 This is a computer model of how the temperature varies through a turbine blade. Making sure the ceramic composites can stand up to high temperatures and vibration is a target of research departments.
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