Structure design, fabrication, properties of laminated ceramics: A review

Various methods exist to improve the toughness and reduce the sensitivity to the defects in ceramic materials; however, the bionic laminated ceramics are the most promising ones. In this paper, we review preparation, sintering, properties and toughening mechanisms of laminated ceramics. Delamination cracks and crack deflection are the main sources of energy dissipation during the fracture of laminated ceramics with weak interfaces. The increasing fracture toughness is due to the residual compressive stress and is the mechanism of laminated ceramics toughness with strong interfaces. These extensively studied laminated ceramics with excellent comprehensive performances (such as high temperature resistance, ablation resistance, thermal shock resistance, high thermal conductivity and impact resistance) have broadened the scope of potential and useful engineering applications. This paper also predicts the feasibility of complex structural 3D designs for rapid prototyping as well as aid development of the new sintering technology, such as cold sintering process and liquid silicon infiltration process, for the preparation of laminated ceramics.