Book Description

The intention of this symposium was to provide a forum for scientists and engineers from a diversity of backgrounds to discuss sol-gel, solution processing and other synthetic chemical techniques for engineering new or improved ceramics on a molecular level. Research into the area of reaction mechanisms and reaction kinetics of silicon species remained strong, while significant advances in the area of structure and properties of modified and unmodified metal alkoxide species were reported. The complementary area of processing in water based systems also received considerable attention with emphasis being placed on the hydrolysis behavior of ions in solution. The nature of particle/aggregate growth was also a major topic of discussion with papers being presented on the role of aggregation in particle growth and the nature and rheology of concentrated suspensions. Important developments in the area of mechanical properties of aerogels, fibers and films were presented as well as research into techniques for in situ monitoring of films during dip coating. Continued advances in the application of solution derived ceramics were also reported. These included GRIN lenses, planar waveguides, optical filters and optical switching, transpiration cooled windows, dye-polymer composites for nonlinear applications, dielectrics and electrooptics materials including PLZT's and the niobates, and chemical sensors, among others. Finally, one of the meeting highlights was a special evening session biomimetics: ceramic processing in natural systems.