Fig 1 Added value of high performance ceramics along the technology chain on systems level
3 Expectations and Perspectives for ldquoFuture Ceramicsrdquo In many application fields ceramic materials and components have been essential contributors for innovation and sustainable progress for several decades A wide variety of developments have been brought to market ranging from human implants to thermal barrier coatings in fossil power plants There are further innovative developments which should enter the market within the next years like solid oxide fuel cells or separation membranes for gas and liquids Further ahead there will be ceramics with self-adapting self-healing and multifunctional features to generate novel applications for saving energy reducing carbon footprints across the entire value creation process of the energy transportation and manufacturing industries The history of advanced and high performance ceramics shows that the orientation of the past was mainly on improving performance cost and reliability in order to generate more efficient operations longer life time and competitive cost positions For example higher reliability up to predictability of failure behavior during operation was and still is an important requirement for using ceramics in high-grade system applications Today and in the future the sustainability aspects are being much more pronounced and may need more recognition and strategic actions on the scientific economic and political level In 2009 a roadmap for advanced ceramics was developed to provide guidelines for future investments for policy makers scientific organizations and industrial developer 1 This foresight study was not fully aligned to sustainability but covers many expectations and perspectives which have an impact on sustainability Some of its relevant results will be included in this paper The world wide market forecast for advanced ceramics was about 40 billion US$ in 2009 encompassing to electronic components chemical medical and environmental products electrical equipment industrial machinery and transportation equipment Continuous long term growth with reasonable annual rates is expected especially after the recovery from the recent financial and economic crisis Sustainability will cause additional technology and market impulses for example stimulated by the development of energy efficiency smart grid and e-mobility As an industrial example over the last few years Siemens AG has been establishing a green technology portfolio with a focus on energy efficiency industrial productivity affordable and personalized healthcare and
ICC3 Special Symposium Emerging Technologies and Future Aspects for Ceramics IOP PublishingIOP Conf Series Materials Science and Engineering 18 (2011) 012003 doi1010881757-899X181012003
intelligent infrastructure In this context there are various perspectives for contributions by ceramic technologies Table 1 summarizes topics within the application fieldrsquos energy environment mobility electronics industry equipment and healthcare where ceramic technologies are expected to generate high impact in the future Most topics are already known and may not be surprising However there are a few where high improvement and progress is possible with respect to sustainability Without discussing the details it is obvious that there are various topics which have high synergy potential (for further details refer to [1] [2])
Adaptronic Exhaust treatment
E- Mobility Drives Combustion engines Auxiliary power units
Energy harvesting
scarce elements Recycling procedures Battery
Non-toxi ceramics Substitution of
Exhaust treatment
Fuel cell
Catalysts Photocatalysts
Fuel from bio Water purification
Environment
Gas seperation Air purification Gas separation
Energy Mobility
Renewable energy
Exhaust treatment Head exchanger
High temp insultation Gas turbine hot parts Combustion
Hydrogen production
Supercapacitors
Power generation
Energy storage Li-battery Alternative battery
Photovoltaic Solar thermal Wind Power
HealthElectronics Industrial Equipment
Implants
electronics
Thermoelectrics Superconductors High temperature
Refractories Optoelectronics
Actuators
Tribo coatings Drug delivery
Mechatronics
Protection coatings Tumor therapy
MEMS Mechatronic
Packaging Sensors
Power electronics Near-net- shaping Medical imaging Adaptronics X-ray generation Adaptronics
Components Forming and cutting tools Intelligent implants Power efficiency Bearings
Adaptronic Exhaust treatment
E- Mobility Drives Combustion engines Auxiliary power units
Energy harvesting
scarce elements Recycling procedures Battery
Non-toxi ceramics Substitution of
Exhaust treatment
Fuel cell
Catalysts Photocatalysts
Fuel from bio Water purification
Environment
Gas seperation Air purification Gas separation
Energy Mobility
Renewable energy
Exhaust treatment Head exchanger
High temp insultation Gas turbine hot parts Combustion
Hydrogen production
Supercapacitors
Power generation
Energy storage Li-battery Alternative battery
Photovoltaic Solar thermal Wind Power
HealthElectronics Industrial Equipment
Implants
electronics
Thermoelectrics Superconductors High temperature
Refractories Optoelectronics
Actuators
Tribo coatings Drug delivery
Mechatronics
Protection coatings Tumor therapy
MEMS Mechatronic
Packaging Sensors
Power electronics Near-net- shaping Medical imaging Adaptronics X-ray generation Adaptronics
Components Forming and cutting tools Intelligent implants Power efficiency Bearings
Table 1 Key topics for future ceramics impact on sustainability development from system and application view
The greatest challenges exist in the field of energy and its impact on environmental changes like global warming Driven by the tremendous growth of world population and overall energy demand Siemens is actively analyzing this topic to generate sustainable strategies and pioneering solutions It is understood that fossil fuels will be a mayor contributor to global fuel consumption until 2030 For that reason an optimization of the energy mixes and a continuous improvement of the efficiency of fossil power generation is not only a Siemens strategy but is a general requirement of the global energy supply towards a lsquoNew Age of Electricityrsquo High temperature ceramic thermal insulation materials have to be developed which will allow higher combustion temperatures further increasing the efficiency In addition renewable energy is the most promising solution for clean energy production From wind power to solar thermal up to photovoltaic global scenarios must be developed make this clean energy available However to achieve a safe energy supply the entire power grid must be improved and expanded Fluctuating power supplies from renewable sources demand new ways to store electrical energy and intelligent new power networks so-called ldquosmart gridsrdquo The expected
ICC3 Special Symposium Emerging Technologies and Future Aspects for Ceramics IOP PublishingIOP Conf Series Materials Science and Engineering 18 (2011) 012003 doi1010881757-899X181012003
4
substantial increase of renewable energy means that advanced energy storage for large power fluctuations in the MW-range will be an essential key technology to buffer net loads and electrical power excess Here too ceramics are expected to deliver progress and innovation for electrical energy storage as already demonstrated by Li-ion batteries and solid oxide fuel cells In order for ceramics to be able to fulfill the expectations indicated in Table 1 scientific and technological progress is needed at all levels from atomic modeling to component manufacturing Regarding future industrial needs ceramics must become more intelligent with capabilities such as load and failure tolerance self-adapting and even self-healing as well as multifunctionality intelligent mix of structural and functional properties Composite materials offer high potential in this direction which must be leveraged by a holistic and interdisciplinary approach In addition the fabrication of ceramics has to be driven to provide robust simple and affordable processes including free-form manufacturing near-net-shape forming and joining technologies continuously including non-ceramic material components However science and technology will be just one prerequisite to generate sustainable impact on the system level lsquoCeramic technologiesrsquo have to continuously improve the domain know-how of applications fields and on the system level by intensive collaboration or strategic alliances with industrial system engineering In addition the sustainability potential of ceramic technologies has to be developed and made visible for the economy and society not just by its own intrinsic value (eg performance reliability cost) but also by a holistic consideration of the application value and of the total life cycle from fabrication to end-of-life scenarios like re-use and recycling There is no doubt that ceramics have widespread potential to be a highly contributing discipline for sustainable solutions especially if lsquopartneringrsquo with other high performance materials and technologies is included
4 Final remarks The global megatrends are creating high challenges with respect to population growth demographic change energy demand climate change and scarcity of resources This calls for a much more sustainable development of economy society and technology Ceramics technology has already proven its ability to generate innovative and sustainable progress Its perspective for contributing effectively to solutions mastering the challenges of our future seems to be promising However future technology development will not be a decision of the scientific and economic communities alone especially if the consequences are high In these cases it will become more and more a result of social agreements and acceptances Therefore the decision making process has to take into account the influence of non-experts on the political and social domain To pave the way for substantial developments science and technology have to take care that the performance value and effort behind the progress towards a lsquogreenerrsquo and more sustainable future is also demonstrated in a more populist way
References [1] Juumlrgen Roumldel Alain BN Kounga Marian Weissenberger-Eibl Daniel Koch Antje Bierwisch
Wolfgang Rossner Michael J Hoffmann Robert Danzer Gerhard Schneider Development of a Roadmap for Advanced Ceramics 2010-2025 Journal of the European Ceramic Society 2009 28 1549-1560
[2] Gennesys ndash Grand Initiative on Nanoscience and Technology using Neutron ndash and Synchrotron Radiation Sources edt by H Dosch MH Van de Voorde ISBN 978 -3-00-0273 356-357 2009
ICC3 Special Symposium Emerging Technologies and Future Aspects for Ceramics IOP PublishingIOP Conf Series Materials Science and Engineering 18 (2011) 012003 doi1010881757-899X181012003
5