High-quality transparent ceramics developed for use in thermal imaging and personal protection equipment

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 16

High-quality transparent ceramics have been developed for the first time in India which can be used in thermal imaging and personal protection equipment such as helmets, face shields and goggles in harsh service conditions for the armed forces as well as law enforcement agencies.

Transparent ceramics is a new class of advanced materials with unique transparency and excellent mechanical properties. These materials can be designed not only for transparent to visible light but also for ultraviolet, Infrared and radiofrequency, giving opportunity for diverse applications.

Though produced by different countries globally, transparent ceramics are restricted in supply as they can be used for strategic applications. Several attempts were made in the country earlier, but the transparent ceramics so produced were either on a laboratory scale or low transparency.

The currently developed process through a technique called colloidal processing followed by simultaneous application of temperature and pressure, is able to produce the sizes usable for several applications on a pilot scale, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology on Wednesday.

Generally prepared from high purity powders through a line of critically engineered processing steps, transparent ceramics needs preparation processes that will help achieve theoretical transparency by eliminating defects.

Chemical vapour deposition involving reactions of the precursors in the vapor phase at elevated temperatures and hotisostatic pressing involving simultaneous application of temperature and pressure are a few advanced processing techniques generally practiced to address the above challenges. An enhanced diffusion process at high temperature under pressure is suggested as the possible mechanism to eliminate the defects.