The course will analyze unit operations, process and products for ceramic materials production at industrial level and for special apllications. Relationship between production process and properties is also an issue.

1) Frontal lectures will allow students to 
- know and discuss  worldwide market of functional ceramics, 
- know and discuss the different production technologies for ceramic powders synthesis,
- know and discuss the different  technologies for thermal treatment,
- know and discuss the different  forming process,
- Analyse final properties and select the proper technology to obtain them,
- Know and select equipments applied in the different unit operation of the process. 
2) Interactive lectures discussing selected examples of materials "Virtual laboratory" will allow students to:
- Discuss, select and apply fundamentals learned in frontal lectures session.
3) Seminars lectures will allow students to face with special topics on ceramics, to learn about new frontiers in ceramic production, to meet people from Companies.
4) Also personal work of the students on selected topics, presented in seminar form, will be considered to evaluate their capacity of personal reworking of fundamentals learned in frontal lectures. 

 Description and discussion of fundamentals in production of both raw materials and final ceramic material: from properties to application

Ceramic materials are generally divided into TRADITIONAL CERAMICS made of natural clay and FUNCTIONAL CERAMICS made of synthetic powders. The use of these last is increasing in many field of application in view of the peculiar properties of the materials that can be achieved with composition and forming during production.

Therefore the core of the course is the study of the technological and scientific tools to obtain the final ceramic stuff.

 In details:

1 - Introduction to ceramic materials: Hystory, market, perspectives

2 – Traditional ceramics (short notes): Classification, applications, market, raw materials and production process.

3 – Functional ceramics: Classification, applications, market, raw materials and more conventional production process.

4 – Synthetic powders production: Fundamentals of the different production methods (coprecipitation, sol gel, solid state). Description and discussion of the unit operations of the production process: production reaction, drying, thermal treatment, forming process. Phase transformation and sintering.

5 - Examples.

Students are required to posses basic knowledge on chemistry and physics

Final exam consists in:
- a  written test (discussion of open questions)  to verify the knowledge of the contents learned in frontal lessons;
- presentation in seminar form of work performed in autonomy by the students  to evaluate their capacity to develop and apply fundamentals to specific examples, and to present their work, with clarity and conciseness.