ceramiconceramic

Ceramiconceramic refers to the use of ceramic-on-ceramic interfaces in engineering and biomedical contexts. It describes systems in which one ceramic surface contacts another ceramic surface, forming a bearing, coating, or joint interface. The term is often seen as shorthand for ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) configurations.

Materials commonly used in ceramiconceramic applications include alumina (Al2O3), zirconia (ZrO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), and silicon carbide (SiC). These materials are selected for high hardness, compressive strength, wear resistance, chemical stability, and, in biomedical contexts, biocompatibility. Interfaces may be fully ceramic components or ceramic components paired with polymer liners or metal substrates, depending on design.

Applications: In medicine, CoC bearings are used in hip and knee arthroplasty to reduce wear debris and extend implant life, though they can suffer from brittleness and rare fracture. In mechanical engineering, ceramic-on-ceramic bearings and seals are used in turbomachinery, pumps, and high-temperature valves, where low wear and heat resistance are valuable. Ceramiconceramic coatings, including PVD/CVD coatings, provide hard, corrosion-resistant surfaces on ceramic or metal substrates.

Manufacture and challenges: Fabrication typically involves pressing or casting ceramic powders, followed by sintering and finishing. Toughness is often enhanced by phase transformations (as in yttria-stabilized zirconia). However, brittleness, aging (low-temperature degradation in some zirconia grades), machining difficulty, and cost remain important limitations.

See also: Ceramic bearing, Hip replacement, Ceramic coating.