The research will investigate the processing and properties of superplastically deformed silicon nitride-based and mullite ceramic materials to develop constitutive relationships describing the creep strain-deformation behavior of polycrystalline ceramics and to develop processes for the superplastic forming of simple components, including the gas blow-forming of ceramic sheets and the diffusion bonding of superplastic ceramics. Superplastic forming involves the slow deformation of the component into the desired shape at high temperatures and under conditions under which fracture does not occur. While superplastic forming has been applied with some success to metallic materials, titanium alloys in particular, the application of the process to the forming of ceramics is highly novel. Ceramic materials are extremely difficult to form and finish, normally requiring grinding operations which may damage the surface and cause failure. Therefore, the ability to deform solid ceramics into shaped parts would be a major advance.
