Shocking ceramics

Peizhen Kathy Lu, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at

, has been awarded a Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from

to advance her research to add electrical conductivity to ceramic materials by incorporating carbon nanotubes.

Ceramics, which have high strength and superior wear resistance, are used as cutting tools, energy and high-temperature materials, biomedical devices, aerospace components, and armour. The lightweight, high performance material could be even more valuable if it could be more easily processed and could conduct electricity. Lu believes she has a way to create advanced ceramic materials by incorporating carbon nanotubes.

Lu works with nanopowders. "Such powder is very fluffy. Apparent density is only five percent," Lu said. "It takes tremendous force to create a component. Instead, we put the nanopowder in water and add dispersant to keep the fine particles evenly suspended and in close contact. Currently we are able to achieve 40 percent density."