100th DKG Annual Meeting / CERAMICS 2025

Abstracts / Summaries

Laudatory speech for the 100th anniversary conference of the German Ceramic Society (Deutsche Keramische Gesellschaft e.V.) on August 31, 2025, in Dresden

Dr. Uwe Reichel,
Friedmar Kerbe

The 100th anniversary conference of the DKG provides an opportunity for a brief historical review of the annual conferences of an association that was founded 106 years ago and whose development has been and continues to be embedded in the socio-political and economic developments of its time.
 

The focus of the presentation is on the 99 annual conferences held to date and the work accomplished by the DKG.
 

This review uses numerous historical documents to reflect on the economic and political developments of these years and their impact on the work of the DKG. It also shows the DKG's successful path through all difficult times, based on the active work and determination of many members, the ever-increasing interconnection of the network between production, application, research, and teaching in the broad field of ceramics, and its active and successful integration into the international ceramics scene. Special recognition is given to the international work of Prof. Hans Hausner as co-initiator and co-founder of the ECerS, whose XIXth conference will take place in Dresden until September 4, following the 100th anniversary conference of the DKG.

A Buffet Table of CMCs - An Update
 

Prof. Dr. Jon Binner
University of Birmingham, UK

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) have shown considerable potential for use in a wide range of applications in sectors as diverse as aerospace, defence, energy and transport. Their significantly improved toughness compared to monolithic ceramics offers opportunities to take full advantage of the benefits offered by advanced ceramics, including low mass, high strengths and hardness, chemical inertness and high thermal resistance without having to suffer their major disadvantage of being brittle and hence susceptible to catastrophic failure. Component designers are therefore understandably keen to take full advantage of these materials. However, they often don’t know exactly what they want – and there are several different types of CMC, including those based on oxide, silicon carbide and carbon fibres with a diverse range of different ceramic matrices. The question, therefore, is how does the materials scientist and engineer deliver what the designer needs? In our work at the University of Birmingham, we are designing and developing new ceramic-based composites that offer a wide range of tuneable properties; effectively creating a ‘buffet table’ of ceramic composite materials. This presentation will outline the current situation and will cover ox-ox, SiC-SiC and UHTCMCs, not just in terms of their composition and structure but also with respect to component shape.

A 50 Years of Engineering Ceramics - from Ideas to Reality

Prof. Dr. Michael J. Hoffmann
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe

Over the past 50 years, engineering ceramics have transitioned from laboratory-scale innovations to critical components in high-performance applications across multiple industries. The lecture offers a materials-science perspective on the technological, scientific, and political developments that have shaped this field from the 1970s to the present.

The mid-1970s in Europe were marked by significant economic and political shifts: the oil crisis of 1973/74, growing awareness of resource limitations, and a renewed focus on energy efficiency and technological sovereignty. These pressures created fertile ground for materials innovation—particularly in high-temperature and wear-resistant applications—leading to increased interest in advanced ceramics. Government-funded research programs, such as the DFG priority program “Hochleistungskeramiken”, laid the foundation for systematic ceramic materials development, linking academic research, national laboratories, and emerging industrial players.

Initial breakthroughs focused on oxide and non-oxide ceramics—alumina, zirconia, silicon nitride, and silicon carbide—with tailored microstructures, improved fracture toughness, and innovative forming and sintering techniques. Advances in powder processing, hot pressing, and pressure-assisted sintering enabled a level of microstructural control that made these materials viable for load-bearing and thermally demanding environments.

The talk will trace key developments in composite systems (e.g., ZTA and SiAlONs), reliability assessment (Weibull statistics, lifetime prediction), and their translation into real-world applications—in energy systems, biomedical implants, electronics, and aerospace.

Looking forward, engineering ceramics are poised to play a decisive role in addressing current challenges: hydrogen technologies, electrification, high-efficiency thermal systems, and sustainable manufacturing. Coupled with digital design tools, additive manufacturing, and life-cycle considerations, ceramics are entering a new era—one where their unique properties can be leveraged not just for performance, but also for resilience, sustainability, and circularity.