About the Book

This handbook presents an authoritative account of the potential of advanced ceramics and composites in strategic applications, including defense, national security, aerospace, and energy security (especially nuclear energy). It highlights how their unique combination of superior properties such as low density, high strength, high elastic modulus, high hardness, high temperature capability, and excellent chemical and environmental stability are optimized in technologies within these fields. The handbook is organized according to application type. It allows readers to learn about strategies that have been used in different fields and to transfer them to their own. The book addresses a wide variety of ceramics and their composites, including PZT ceramics, carbon nanotubes, aerogels, silica radomes, relaxor ferroelectrics, and many others.

About the Author: Dr. Yashwant R. Mahajan is presently working as a Technical Advisor at International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad, India. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in Physical Metallurgy in 1978 from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Mahajan carried out his postdoctoral research in the areas of titanium base alloys, powder metallurgy, and high temperature dispersion strengthened aluminum base alloys at the Air Force Materials Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, for 4 years. He has worked in various capacities, namely, Scientist/Joint Director at the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, ARCI, and Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad, India, and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., Bangalore, India. Dr. Mahajan made major contributions in the areas of MMCs, advanced ceramics, and CMCs. Under his leadership, a number of ceramicbased technologies were developed and transferred to the industry. He has published more than 130 technical papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings and holds 13 patents (including 2 US). Dr. Mahajan is a recipient of NRC Associateship of National Academy of Sciences, USA, the best metallurgist of the year award (IIM), MRSI Medal, MRSI-IISC superconductivity award, and VASVIK Medal. He is a professional member of ASM International, TMS, MRS-USA, SPIE-USA, Institute of Materials-UK, American Ceramic Society, MRSI, and IIM.

Dr. Mahajan had initiated and successfully implemented a number of programs concerning selection and application of advanced materials for defense applications, which includes Development of Infrared Domes and Windows Based on Transparent Ceramics, SiAlON Radomes for Hypersonic Missile Applications, Ultra-High Temperature Materials for the Airframe and Scramjet Engine of Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle, Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide Thrust Bearings for Naval Application, and Silicon Carbide Based Mirror Substrates for Satellite Application.

Dr. Roy Johnson is currently Scientist "G" and Associate Director of International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, Hyderabad. Dr. Johnson was awarded the Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from Nagpur University for the research carried out at National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur. He joined ARCI in 1994 and worked in various capacities and led several research projects in the area of advanced ceramics, transparent ceramics, cellular ceramics, chemical vapor deposition, and isostatic shaping. In addition to the basic research, he was successful in realizing various technologies leading to commercialization of products in the strategic and civilian sectors for potential applications. Ceramic honeycomb-based energy efficient heaters and anti-mine boots, which are the first of its kind, and infrared transparent windows and domes are some of the successful technology development programs led by him. Several focused R&D initiatives conceptualized by him in the past few years have resulted in the establishment of unique facilities and a team of scientists with leading expertise in ceramic processing and shaping in the country. Currently, in the capacity of Associate Director, ARCI, he provides leadership to three major centers of excellence, namely, ceramic processing, non-oxide ceramics, and sol-gel based nano-composite coatings.
Dr. Johnson has 100 research publications in reputed journals, 11 Indian patents to his credit, and co-authored one book and two book chapters. He is a recognized research supervisor and guided 6 students for their PhD degree. Dr. Johnson is a frequent reviewer for several international journals. He is a Fellow of Indian Institute of Ceramics and Institution of Chemists and also a member of several Indian and international professional bodies. Dr. Johnson was the theme leader for advanced ceramics session during Indo-German Frontiers of Engineering Symposium 2014. He is also the recipient of many awards including MRSI Medal 2012 (Materials Research Society), ARCI Technology award 2012, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviyaji award (Indian Ceramic Society - 2011).