Thermal Shock Resistance in Ceramics: Why Some Materials Crack and Others Don’t
Ceramics are indispensable materials in modern high-temperature engineering fields, including aerospace, metallurgy, automotive manufacturing, energy conversion, and electronic equipment, due to their inherent advantages such as high melting point, excellent corrosion resistance, superior wear resistance, and outstanding electrical insulation. However, their widespread application is severely limited by a critical flaw: poor thermal shock resistance in many cases. When subjected to rapid temperature changes—whether sudden heating or cooling—some ceramic materials suffer from cracks, chipping, or even complete fracture, while others maintain structural integrity and stable performance. This striking difference raises a core question: what determines the thermal shock resistance of ceramics, and why do such significant disparities exist between different ceramic materials? To address this question, this article systematically explores the mechanism of thermal shock fail...