Advanced Ceramics Consultancy, Research, Materials Development Company

Advanced Ceramics Consultancy, Research and Development

The demand for materials to withstand harsh environments is increasing in the aerospace and nuclear industry. Existing materials are reaching their maximum performance capabilities, and with this increased demand, other materials are needed. Many organizations are seeking to use high performance advanced ceramics to solve these material challenges.

These challenges are being addressed by Lucideon, through advanced ceramics research and development.

Advanced ceramics are a branch of ceramic materials that exhibit exceptional high performance physical properties through the implementation of innovative manufacturing and processing technologies, allowing for the creation of composite structures and reducing past limitations such as brittleness.

As developments continue to expand rapidly, the range of potential applications for advanced ceramics continues to grow. For over 100 years, our company has been instrumental in fostering this growth through consultancy, testing, research and development in the field of advanced ceramics.

Combining the understanding of all steps in material development requires considerable scientific resource and expert knowledge, especially at commercially viable cost points. Our advanced ceramics capability and expertise brings together our materials science skills, formulation knowledge, and testing know-how.

Materials development and selection

Our team of experts has experience working across different sectors and material systems. Working from an environment and process specification, novel materials that meet the requirements can be created and developed. We have a strong capability surrounding the formulation of advanced ceramics materials, this can be used effectively to solve materials and process-based challenges.

With our wide-ranging knowledge of materials, we are easily able to identify areas where advanced ceramics should be used in replacement for metals and polymers.

Process development

Through many years consulting in materials, we can apply novel materials to existing processes. With our foundations beginning in traditional ceramics, we apply these processes to advanced ceramics across various industries. In addition, based on our materials knowledge, we have developed new processes with aims to increase yields and material performance, minimize waste, and reduce processing time and cost. Our pilot-scale process capability helps to bridge the gap between academia and industry to investigate new processing technologies.

Process optimization

Combining the expertise in materials selection and process development, we understand materials throughout the process flow. With this capability we optimize processes through analysis and problem solving. This can also be done through our Machine Learning technology platform IMPACT^TM. This network is designed to support development and optimization projects in materials science at almost any point in the materials lifecycle.

Advanced ceramics research

Advanced ceramics research is leading the way in confronting the challenges of material performance for harsh environment applications. Leveraging our skills and experience, our next-generation consultancy provides unique insight into the behaviour of materials for withstanding extreme environments through the latest failure analysis, process optimization, and characterization technologies.

Current work in advanced ceramics

Ultra-high temperature ceramic development
We have a strong capability surrounding the formulation and sintering of ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) and this is used effectively to solve materials and process-based challenges from different sectors and different material systems.

Novel coatings development - thermal and environmental barrier coatings (TBCs & EBCs)
Lucideon provides solutions to the development challenges of these material systems, combining our formulation development expertise and capabilities with various deposition and sintering methods, including our contactless Flash Sintering technology platform. The Flash Sintering technology platform is also a novel means to improve microstructures, and can be used to improve bond strength between dissimilar materials (e.g. ceramic to metal).

Ceramic additive manufacturing
We are developing appropriate material formulations, printing parameters, de-binding, and sintering processes to improve our customers' material performance and manufacturing yields whilst also reducing waste, processing time, and cost.

Ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs)
With our new range of advanced ceramic pilot-scale processes, Lucideon has capability in matrix formulation development, forming and sintering, and Polymer Impregnation Pyrolysis (PIP). We provide services for clients in need of materials development and process optimization.

By integrating comprehensive expertise and innovative technologies, Lucideon exemplifies what it means to be an expert advanced ceramics company, continuously pushing the boundaries of material science to meet the ever-evolving demands of industry.

High Entropy Ceramics

High entropy ceramics are a new class of materials being explored by the IMPACT^TM team at Lucideon. These ceramics are composed of multiple elements, typically five or more, mixed in near-equimolar ratios to create a single-phase stable material. The high entropy of these ceramics leads to exceptional properties, such as high thermal stability, resistance to oxidation, and excellent mechanical strength at elevated temperatures. These unique characteristics make high entropy ceramics particularly promising for use in extreme environments, such as aerospace, energy, and high-temperature industrial applications. Lucideon's expertise in computational modelling, machine learning, and experimental validation is key to accelerating the discovery and optimization of high entropy ceramics, enabling their adoption in real-world applications.

Advanced Ceramics