When one thinks of the application of ceramic materials, it’s often within the context of how it’s been used for thousands of years – for food storage and décor. But what about making engines? Materials scientist Robert Ritchie of the University of California, Berkeley explains how the properties of ceramic make it a surprising choice to make plane engines.

"People have always wanted to use ceramics because they are much lighter. They have much higher temperature capability. General Electric plans to put an engine on the Boeing Triple 7 plane, it’s called the Triple 7X, by the end of this decade with ceramic components in it. And that is huge. I mean it’s going to run hotter which is much better for the efficiency of the engine. It is going to be lighter that is better for the whole fuel consumption of the engines. By running hotter and there is less emissions and so forth."

Ritchie says one of the challenges is to create a tougher ceramic.

"They are very, very brittle and so one of the big approaches in material science is to try to make ceramics more resistant to fracture."