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extreme-heat-resistant-ceramics

updated tue 20 jun 00

 

Ingeborg Foco on sat 17 jun 00


In the late eighties, I attended an evening soirée for Washington State
University alumni.

Prior to the social hour, a speaker gave a brief dissertation (in lay terms)
on the space shuttle, the problems of re-entry into the atmosphere and the
tiles that were adhered to stop the shuttle from burning up during re-entry.
While he was giving his presentation, he passed out several tiles for all of
us to look at and handle. The tiles were rigid, extremely light and you
could mar the surface with your fingernail. If I recollect correctly, the
tiles were painted but appeared to be KWool in a pressed and rigid form.
The tiles had to be formed into various shapes and of course fit perfectly.
They were "glued" on. Supposedly, the ones we were handling had fallen off.
I suspect that was just cocktail talk. We were asked not to mar them, which
of course made everyone push their fingernails into the surface. Hard to
believe that these were going to go back onto the Shuttle.

I believe that Washington State University had something to do with the
actual development of these tiles for this application.

Anyhow, that was a long time ago and that is how I remember it.

Ingeborg





----- Original Message -----
From: Tommy Humphries
To:
Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2000 9:48 AM
Subject: Re: extreme-heat-resistant-ceramics


> I Don't know if this will satisfy your customer or not, but a quick search
> returned the following...
>
> Ames' engineers in the Space Technology Division (Code ST) have just
> received word that one of Ames advanced tile materials, Toughened
Uni-Piece
> Fibrous Insulation applied to a low density Alumina Enhanced Thermal
Barrier
> (TUFI/AETB-8), has been approved for adoption on all of the Space Shuttle
> orbiters. The material has one to two orders of magnitude better damage
> resistance than the standard tiles currently in use on the orbiter.
> http://ccf.arc.nasa.gov/dx/basket/storiesetc/AstTUFI.html
>
> Also check out this link
> http://rmengineeredproducts.com/insulation.html
> Tommy Humphries
>
> "`You know, it's at times like this, that I really wish I'd listened to
what
> my mother told me when I was young.'
> `Why, what did she tell you?'
> `I don't know, I didn't listen.'"
> (Douglas Adams)
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "The Bedfords"
> To:
> Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2000 8:40 AM
> Subject: extreme-heat-resistant-ceramics
>
>
> I'm posting this question for a customer, a retired Englishman with an
> inquiring mind. It was a post-script on a letter that he wrote to me
> telling how he appreciates the virtues of the huge teapot that he
purchased
> from me. "The thickness insulates the heat of the tea for one hour. And,
> the paleness (of the white glaze) prevents heat radiation loss (Physics
> 101)."
>
> He wrote, "A question. Do you know the recipe-formula for
> extreme-heat-resistant-ceramics? Some rocket scientists are talking about
> ceramic lining of rocket tubes - could be cheaper and longer-lasting than
> metal. And of course the space-shuttle is tiled to protect it from
re-entry
> heat. I wish I knew how such ceramics are made."
>
> Any answers or theories out there to pass on to him?
>
> Thanx
> Lee Bedford
> Canyon Creek Pottery
> Golden, B.C.
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>

The Bedfords on sat 17 jun 00


I'm posting this question for a customer, a retired Englishman with an =
inquiring mind. It was a post-script on a letter that he wrote to me =
telling how he appreciates the virtues of the huge teapot that he =
purchased from me. "The thickness insulates the heat of the tea for one =
hour. And, the paleness (of the white glaze) prevents heat radiation =
loss (Physics 101)."=20

He wrote, "A question. Do you know the recipe-formula for =
extreme-heat-resistant-ceramics? Some rocket scientists are talking =
about ceramic lining of rocket tubes - could be cheaper and =
longer-lasting than metal. And of course the space-shuttle is tiled to =
protect it from re-entry heat. I wish I knew how such ceramics are =
made."

Any answers or theories out there to pass on to him?

Thanx
Lee Bedford
Canyon Creek Pottery
Golden, B.C.

Tommy Humphries on sat 17 jun 00


I Don't know if this will satisfy your customer or not, but a quick search
returned the following...

Ames' engineers in the Space Technology Division (Code ST) have just
received word that one of Ames advanced tile materials, Toughened Uni-Piece
Fibrous Insulation applied to a low density Alumina Enhanced Thermal Barrier
(TUFI/AETB-8), has been approved for adoption on all of the Space Shuttle
orbiters. The material has one to two orders of magnitude better damage
resistance than the standard tiles currently in use on the orbiter.
http://ccf.arc.nasa.gov/dx/basket/storiesetc/AstTUFI.html

Also check out this link
http://rmengineeredproducts.com/insulation.html
Tommy Humphries

"`You know, it's at times like this, that I really wish I'd listened to what
my mother told me when I was young.'
`Why, what did she tell you?'
`I don't know, I didn't listen.'"
(Douglas Adams)
----- Original Message -----
From: "The Bedfords"
To:
Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2000 8:40 AM
Subject: extreme-heat-resistant-ceramics


I'm posting this question for a customer, a retired Englishman with an
inquiring mind. It was a post-script on a letter that he wrote to me
telling how he appreciates the virtues of the huge teapot that he purchased
from me. "The thickness insulates the heat of the tea for one hour. And,
the paleness (of the white glaze) prevents heat radiation loss (Physics
101)."

He wrote, "A question. Do you know the recipe-formula for
extreme-heat-resistant-ceramics? Some rocket scientists are talking about
ceramic lining of rocket tubes - could be cheaper and longer-lasting than
metal. And of course the space-shuttle is tiled to protect it from re-entry
heat. I wish I knew how such ceramics are made."

Any answers or theories out there to pass on to him?

Thanx
Lee Bedford
Canyon Creek Pottery
Golden, B.C.

____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

Janet Kaiser on sat 17 jun 00


I get to hear all sorts of information... Some useful,
some perfectly useless and a lot in between. I can
imagine the following information could upset certain
government agencies... How does a gallery owner in the
UK know this?

Well anyway, here goes:

The cones on the noses of exorcet missiles are made of
porcelain...
Is this heat-resistant enough ceramic?

They are thrown/turned upside down (literally - hanging
down from the wheel head so gravity helps hold the
shape) are so translucent they appear practically
transparent (only a couple of millimetres thick) and
are made in the UK at a top secret location. They have
huge loss rates during the production process and on
the road to where the missiles are built (France). So
each nose cone costs hundreds, if not thousands $.

This information could also upset Falkland War
Veterans... France exports these missiles around the
world. Argentina was a big customer.

Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
HOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' PATH
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk

----- Original Message -----

I'm posting this question for a customer, a retired
Englishman with an inquiring mind. It was a
post-script on a letter that he wrote to me telling how
he appreciates the virtues of the huge teapot that he
purchased from me. "The thickness insulates the heat
of the tea for one hour. And, the paleness (of the
white glaze) prevents heat radiation loss (Physics
101)."

He wrote, "A question. Do you know the recipe-formula
for extreme-heat-resistant-ceramics? Some rocket
scientists are talking about ceramic lining of rocket
tubes - could be cheaper and longer-lasting than metal.
And of course the space-shuttle is tiled to protect it
from re-entry heat. I wish I knew how such ceramics
are made."

Any answers or theories out there to pass on to him?

Thanx
Lee Bedford
Canyon Creek Pottery
Golden, B.C.

ferenc jakab on mon 19 jun 00


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ingeborg Foco"
To:
Sent: Sunday, 18 June 2000 1:34 pm
Subject: Re: extreme-heat-resistant-ceramics


> In the late eighties, I attended an evening soirée for Washington State
> University alumni.
>
> Prior to the social hour, a speaker gave a brief dissertation (in lay
terms)
> on the space shuttle, the problems of re-entry into the atmosphere and the
> tiles that were adhered to stop the shuttle from burning up during
re-entry.
> While he was giving his presentation, he passed out several tiles for all
of
> us to look at and handle. The tiles were rigid, extremely light and you
> could mar the surface with your fingernail. If I recollect correctly,
the
> tiles were painted but appeared to be KWool in a pressed and rigid form.
> The tiles had to be formed into various shapes and of course fit
perfectly.
> They were "glued" on. Supposedly, the ones we were handling had fallen
off.
> I suspect that was just cocktail talk. We were asked not to mar them,
which
> of course made everyone push their fingernails into the surface. Hard to
> believe that these were going to go back onto the Shuttle.


It has allways been my understanding that Kao-wool or ceramic fibre or
whatever other name it comes under, was developed by NASA specifically for
the shuttle program. One of the many spin off products we all enjoy today. I
also have seen information regarding ceramic materials being developed for
motor car engines and other high heat applications. I believe that the grey
board to which your computer's CPU is attached is a ceramic. These ceramics
are made with zirconium, rutile and other rare earths.
Feri.

Trying to dredge a failing memory!

CARParagon@AOL.COM on mon 19 jun 00


Extreme heat Ceramics are typically made from Zirconia. That material can
withstand over 4600 F in either an oxidizing or reducing atmosphere. Other
options include MgO and CrO2, but Zirconia is the most common.

Just for your information, in rocket assemblies, they will take a refractory
metal such as a titanium/platinum/etc alloy and coat it with a thin layer of
Zirconia spray. This is a top of the line system, but hardly inexpensive.

With Best Regards;

Curt A. Rothman
Director of Business Development
Paragon Industries