5. Technical and technico-economic advantages over conventional processes

Technical ceramics are highly sought-after materials, thanks to their remarkable thermal, mechanical and/or electrical properties; however, their high manufacturing costs have long been a brake on their development. Indeed, the manufacture of technical ceramic parts generally requires the powder to be formulated with organic auxiliaries before the raw parts can be obtained by a ceramic process. The green parts are then subjected to heat treatments to remove the binder (low-temperature treatment, typically below 600°C) and densify the material (high-temperature treatment, generally > 1,300°C).

Conventional processes include pressing, casting, injection and extrusion (figure 35 ). Machining is possible, but remains marginal due to...