Cermet

Name:
Cermet
Detailed information:

Chemistry name:	ceramic + metal
Use:
Gas turbines; rocket motor parts; turbojet engine components; nuclear fuel elements; coatings for high-temperature resistance; sensing elements in instruments; seals; bearings, etc.; in special pumps and other equipment.

A semisynthetic product consisting of a mixture of ceramic and metallic components having physical properties not found solely in either one alone, e.g., metal carbides, borides, oxides, and silicides. They combine the strength and toughness of the metal with the heat and oxidation resistance of the ceramic material. The composition may range from predominantly metallic to predominantly ceramic; e.g., SAP sintered aluminum contains 85% aluminum and 15% Al₂O₃. The most important industrial cermets are titanium carbide–based, aluminum oxide–based, and special uranium dioxide types. Cermets are made by powder metallurgy techniques involving use of bonding agents such as tantalum, titanium, and zirconium. High stress-to-rupture rate; operate continuously at 982 C, for short periods at 2200C.