| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T22: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Engineering Ceramics: Microstructure-Property-Performance Relations and Applications
|
| Presentation Title |
Novel Gel-casting Route for Radially Graded All-ceramic Structures for Microwave Metamaterial Antenna Applications |
| Author(s) |
Abhijeet Sarangi, Dmitry Isakov, Claire E.J. Dancer |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Claire E.J. Dancer |
| Abstract Scope |
Ceramics are required for metamaterial-based high efficiency microwave frequency antennas due to their high dielectric permittivity and breakdown strength, low thermal expansion and conductivity, and tolerance of harsh environments. However, the difficulties in producing graded structures entirely of ceramics mean that most transformation optics-based metamaterial dielectric structures comprise polymer matrices with varied loadings of high permittivity ceramic. Using polymers limits the working temperature and environment, as well as reducing the dielectric properties. We have developed a novel gel casting route for all-ceramic graded structures. Using ceramic materials with a range of dielectric performance and careful control of porosity, we demonstrate how permittivity variations can be controlled through microstructural variations alone. Key parameters of the gel casting route are described, as well as microstructural and spatially resolved permittivity measurement at microwave frequencies. This manufacturing route for functionally graded materials represents a significant development towards new metamaterial devices with customised electromagnetic properties. |