Division of Ceramic Materials and Polymers

The current development of “non-metallic” materials makes it necessary to expand research on ceramic materials and polymers.

The Division of Ceramic Materials and Polymers focuses its research on those materials in the context of their specific mechanical, thermal, electrical properties and recognizing them as materials of the future with the prospect of many new applications. The research carried out by the Division concerns designing, describing the structure and properties, degradation and recycling – of plastics in particular. A major portion of research concerns composites, gradient materials, as well as nanomaterials. Projects carried out by the staff of the Division are of utilitarian and interdisciplinary nature, combining scientific problems not only from the area of materials engineering but also chemistry, transport, construction, and even medicine. A great asset of the Division is a wide spectrum of advanced research methods used, such as: infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, specific surface testing and a number of calorimetric methods.

Professor Andrzej Olszyna, Head of Division of Ceramic Materials and Polymers

Research groups

Ceramics, ceramic-metal composites and biomimetic materials

Optimization of ceramic-metal composites fabrication. Influence of the metal phase on the microstructure and properties of composites. Ceramic-metal interface.

Polymer matrix composites

Composite materials are a group of innovative structural or functional materials widely utilized in many industries, e.g., aviation, automotive, public transportation, machine building, as well as sport goods.

Polymers

The research group specializes in analysis of the relationship between the structure and properties of various polymer materials. For many years, the group has been dealing with applications of various groups of polyurethane materials.