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Ceramics enter a new era with laser-welded joints

arstechnica.com

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Re: Ceramics enter a new era with laser-welded joints

#21
post #10
post #3

With the ability to weld glass to metal and now ceramic welding, the next 50 years are going to see a manufacturing revolution.

For someone without experience or the context of manufacturing, could you clarify why we will see a “manufacturing revolution”?

Not OP, but generally, breakthroughs in cost, processing, treatment, and/or properties of materials can have a tremendous impact on use.

If you think about it, up until about 1800, virtually everything humans made was made of stone, earth/brick, small cermic items, wood, plant fibres, animal fibres, glass, or a few easily-worked metals.

Since 1800, vast amounts of iron, steel, aluminium, concrete, titanium, plastics, composites (usually fibre + resin), processed woods, paper, glass, and ceramics have entered into use. We build things that simply couldn't exist or perform 200, 100, or even 50 years ago.

A common problem with metals is that they're either hard to process, or rare. Ceramics are based on very available silicates (though specific properties may rely on very high purities or rare forms), and are fairly easily processed. They do tend to be brittle and handle poorly under tension, or under vibration.

Your question's likely usefully answered in terms of past revolutions in manufacturing and construction: the stone arch, Roman concrete, Egyptian pyramids, Gothic cathedrals, large warships (wood, iron, steel, aluminium), pipelines, motors, iron-framed presses and machinery, steel-framed buildings, copper-based electric motors and transmission wires, aluminium and aircraft, titanium and supersonic / hypersonic aircraft and missiles, glass and optics, plastic and mass consumer goods, silicon and electronics, artificial fibres and modern clothing.

Re: Ceramics enter a new era with laser-welded joints

#22

For those wondering why this matters: One reason is for electronics in extreme environments. Glass/Ceramics are more energetically stable than metals, so can withstand much higher temperatures. Think advanced sensors inside a rocket combustion chamber... while it is on.

That is huge as it enables highly accurate feedback for instantaneous propulsion control.

Re: Ceramics enter a new era with laser-welded joints

#23

For those wondering why this matters: One reason is for electronics in extreme environments. Glass/Ceramics are more energetically stable than metals, so can withstand much higher temperatures. Think advanced sensors inside a rocket combustion chamber... while it is on.

I would add that there is a case for ceramic matrix composites in modern gas turbines. And this could also radically alter the ease of manufacturing for solid oxide fuel cells, which in addition to having extremely high combined cycle efficiencies (>80%), can natively use existing hydrocarbon fuel sources, as opposed to just pure hydrogen.

Is this what GE is putting behind the 9X to reduce noise?

Re: Ceramics enter a new era with laser-welded joints

#24
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would add that there is a case for ceramic matrix composites in modern gas turbines. And this could also radically alter the ease of manufacturing for solid oxide fuel cells, which in addition to having extremely high combined cycle efficiencies (>80%), can natively use existing hydrocarbon fuel sources, as opposed to just pure hydrogen.

Is this what GE is putting behind the 9X to reduce noise?

It is used for the turbine blades and combustion chamber, but it has more to do with heat tolerance and weight than noise. I think the biggest part of the noise reduction comes from using a much larger and more efficient fan.
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