Solid State Studies in Ceramics Gordon Research Conference, Holyoke College, MA, July 31 - August 05, 2016

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: The 2016 Solid State Studies in Ceramics Gordon Research Conference (https://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=11083) focuses on a knowledge-based design of advanced ceramics which requires a detailed understanding of the materials behaviour at all length scales, from atomistic to macroscopic, but also across the length scales. The conference compiles these different topics into a single program and exposes the different areas and viewpoints to a single multidisciplinary audience. The collegial atmosphere including informal gatherings gives a stimulating forum for diverse and international investigators at the forefront of their field, junior scientists, and graduate students. The unique conference format offers the possibility to explore new ideas and promotes cross-disciplinary collaborations in various research areas. Junior scientists and graduate students have the opportunity to present their work and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. In the long term, this conference will benefit the pace of progress in the field of advanced materials, drive innovation, create a qualified and diverse workforce and thus benefit economy and society. TECHNICAL DETAILS: The generation of new and unique microstructures depends on the material, the application and as well as the manufacturing costs, and may require radically different processing routes for different materials and applications. Hence, the primary goal of processing science and technology is a specific control of sintering and microstructural evolution to accomplish the most desirable product with distinctive properties. The development of strategies to obtain these goals requires a highly multidisciplinary approach based on characterization methods to analyse the materials behaviour, on modelling techniques to understand the microstructural evolution, and on new processing methods, such as additive manufacturing. Expected outcomes are not limited to ceramics, but instead considered in a wider frame to build a new, more global understanding that can be transferred to many other multi-material systems based on powder processing techniques. Graduate students and junior scientists gain knowledge of sophisticated experimental and modelling tools for the design of microstructures to create enhanced and new functionalities.