Materials Processing

  • Powder metallurgy
  • Ceramics and ceramic composites
  • Intermetallic compounds and composites
  • Reactive sintering
  • Wear and oxidation resistant coatings
  • Polymeric precursors to ceramics
  • Development of novel processing techniques

A vacuum hot press is used for fabrication of monolithic and composite metals and composite metals and ceramics.

A molecular dynamics computer simulation depicts a silicon nitride ceramic polymeric precursor adsorbed on the basal plane of graphite. Computer-aided molecular design is used to engineer new, advanced composite materials and interfaces, and to predict mechanical and thermal behavior.

For more information on materials and structures, contact Dr. Ben H. Thacker, Mechanical Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510, Phone (210) 522-3896, Fax (210) 522-6965.

Materials Sciences
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