Dear Colleagues,

Silicon-based polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) and ceramic nanocomposites (PDC-NCs) represent a class of materials which are produced by the controlled pyrolysis of suitable organosilicon polymers in inert or reactive atmosphere. This procedure allows the access to novel additive-free ternary and quaternary ceramic materials which cannot be achieved using conventional processing techniques such as sintering or melting.

PDCs are X-ray amorphous but nanoscopically heterogeneous materials. One of the most intriguing features of PDCs is the presence of nanodomains of 1–3 nm size in their structure, and thus they can be regarded as intrinsic nanocomposites. The high-temperature properties such as the resistance to crystallization and to decomposition, as well as the functional properties found for these materials depend to a great extent on their nanodomain structure and on their free-carbon content. PDCs and PDC-NCs can be considered as novel revolutionary materials. Due to their very high melting points, thermal stability up to high temperatures, and their low densities, PDCs and PDC-NCs are ideal materials for high-temperature applications. Moreover, PDCs and PDC-NCs are multifunctional ceramics—that is, they have tunable electro-optical properties, mainly related to the presence of a free-carbon phase. The free-carbon phase not only makes these materials “smart”, but also strongly influences their thermal stability against crystallization and decomposition as well as the sizes of composing nanodomains.

PDCs and PDC-NCs are important candidates for applications in energy and environmental systems, information technology, transport, defense, biomedical components, and micro- or nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS). They are promising for use under extreme conditions, as they exhibit high strength, creep and thermal shock resistance, as well as stability in oxidative and corrosive environments. They are candidates for electrical energy storage and mobile applications ranging from cell phones to electric cars. Lithium ion batteries with PDC anodes show enhanced reversible capacity values and electrochemical cycling stability as compared to those of the conventionally used graphite-based anodes.

The scope of this Special Issue includes, without being limited to, the following topics:

-Synthesis methods for oxide and non-oxide PDCs and ceramic nanocomposites;

-Properties: electronic, optical, magnetic, catalytic, high-temperature resistance to crystallization and decomposition, mechanical, charge carriers transport, thermal transport, etc.;

-Micro-/nanostructure (nanodomain structure);

-Applications: electronic applications, high-temperature structural applications, catalysis, energy conversion and storage, lightning, coatings etc.

It is our pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript for this Special Issue. Full papers, communications, and reviews that cover all aspects (i.e., synthesis–structure–property relationships, applications, and future directions) of polymer-derived ceramics and ceramic nanocomposites are all welcome.

Dr. Gabriela Mera
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• Polymer-derived ceramics
• Polymer-derived ceramic nanocomposites
• Nanostructured materials
• Synthesis strategies for polymer-derived ceramics and ceramic composites
• Processing techniques
• Characterization methods
• Nanodomain structure
• Structural properties
• Functional properties
• Applications