Award Lecture Combustion Synthesis of Advanced Materials
Resumen
The Chemical Engineering Division, ASEE, Union Carbide Lectureship Award winner for 2000.
Combustion synthesis is an attractive technique to synthesize a variety of advanced materials. It is based on the concept that once initiated locally by means of a thermal source of short-term service, highly exothermic reactions can become self-sustaining in the form of a combustion wave and yield the final product progressively without requiring additional heat. Our investigations of combustion synthesis are directed toward an understanding of the mechanisms involved in the synthesis of materials. This understanding is essential to synthesize advanced materials with tailored microstructure and properties. A variety of complementary approaches are used to investigate the mechanisms of reaction and product structure formation. Examples of systems studied include intermetallics, ceramics, and intermetallic-ceramic composites.