Aerospace

Ceramics are used as components within aerospace applications such as temperature sensors, electrical connectors or feedthroughs, and as protective sheathes for thermocouples due to their high thermal and electrical resistance. Ceramics are also used as a consumable form during the investment casting of turbine hardware (such as stationary vanes) to form internal cooling channels within the hardware.

Ceramic materials are lightweight compared to metals, they have high temperature resistance and stability with thermal fluctuations. Ceramics are resistance to corrosion and chemical degradation and have electrical insulation properties.

Aluminosilicates are often used for ceramic cores to manufacture the investment castings to balance the ability to easily and fully remove the core material after casting versus the need for a tight-tolerance, rigid core with sufficient strength during the casting process. Aluminas are often used within sensors, connectors, and feedthroughs due to their high thermal resistance, thermal-shock resistance and electrical insulative properties.

Ceramic cores are used during the investment casting process that produces turbine blades. These cores form the internal cooling channels of the turbine blades during the casting process. After the cast blade cools, the core is removed by dissolving the core, leaving the remaining empty internal cooling cavity within the blade. Ceramic is ideal for this application because it can withstand the temperatures of the metal casting process achieving the tolerances needed within the metal blade and can be easily removed (dissolved) post casting without damaging the cast blade.