Webinar Description
Hosted by: ACerS International Italy Chapter and ACerS International Türkiye Chapter
Monday, May 11, 2026; 10:00a.m. – 11:00a.m. Eastern US time
Sponsored by the ACerS International Italy Chapter and ACerS International Türkiye Chapter, the May webinar will feature two speakers: Understanding and Controlling Ceramic Processing through Rheology and Colloidal Processing of Ceramics: Highly Loaded Suspensions from Particles to Properties
DESCRIPTION
Understanding and Controlling Ceramic Processing through Rheology
The presentation discusses how rheology enables the prediction and control of ceramic material behavior during processing, supporting scale-up, reproducibility, and industrial robustness.
Colloidal Processing of Ceramics: Highly Loaded Suspensions from Particles to Properties
Colloidal processing is a critical route for shaping ceramics, yet it involves a highly interconnected sequence of steps where decisions made at the particle level propagate throughout the entire process. This lecture focuses on the formulation and processing of highly loaded colloidal suspensions, emphasizing how fundamental principles of colloid and interface science govern processability, microstructure evolution, and final properties.
Instead of treating processing steps in isolation, the discussion explores the delicate balance between powder characteristics, surface chemistry, particularly in liquid media, and interparticle interactions. While each material system is unique and requires specific understanding, achieving success depends on applying simple and robust formulation strategies rather than overly complex solutions. Key concepts such as interparticle spacing (IPS), hydration layers, and additive effects are analyzed as the primary drivers of suspension behavior.
Using case studies spanning oxide nanopowders to electroactive particles, the lecture demonstrates that a well-designed formulation alone does not guarantee success unless it is paired with appropriate process design and optimization (e.g., in direct ink writing). High-quality and reliable ceramic components are only achievable when the entire processing chain is understood and controlled as a synchronized whole. Mastering the initial colloidal state emerges not as a standalone step, but as a prerequisite for managing the delicate path from shaping to final densification.
BIOGRAPHIES
Prof. Marcello Romagnoli, Full Professor, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
Marcello Romagnoli is Full Professor of Materials Science and Technology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, where he is also Director of the H2 MO.RE Research Center. His research activity focuses on ceramic materials, with long-standing expertise in the rheology of powders, suspensions, and alkali-activated materials. He has made significant contributions to the rheological characterization and modelling of ceramic systems and geopolymers, combining experimental methods with Design of Experiments and artificial neural networks to optimize industrial processes. He is author of more than 90 scientific publications in international journals and several book chapters on ceramic and geopolymer rheology. His work has strong links to industrial applications, European research projects, and advanced manufacturing technologies. He is currently committed to transferring the techniques and knowledge developed in the ceramic sector to the production of fuel cells and H2 electrolysers.
Assoc. Prof. Simge Çınar Aygün, Associate Professor, Middle East Technical University, (METU), Türkiye
Simge Çınar Aygün is an Associate Professor at Middle East Technical University (METU), Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and the Micro and Nanotechnology Program. She received her B.S. (2008) and M.S. (2009) degrees in Chemical Engineering from METU and her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Iowa State University (2013), focusing on the rheology of oxide nanopowder suspensions and colloidal processing routes. Following postdoctoral research at Iowa State University in both Mechanical Engineering (2014) and Materials Science and Engineering (2015–2016), she joined METU as a faculty member in 2017.
Her research centers on colloid and interface science, specifically the design, simplification, and scaling of colloidal processing routes for complex and multicomponent particulate systems. Her group works on the development of novel nanomaterials, colloidal formulations, additive manufacturing of ceramics, and liquid metal-based functional materials. She develops formulation and processing strategies to enable the fabrication of high-quality ceramic components via additive manufacturing, as well as advanced electrode formulations for suspension-based energy storage systems. Additionally, she has pioneered the development of core–shell BiSn liquid metal particles, exploring their applications in X-ray shielding, photothermal energy conversion, and next-generation composites.
Dr. Çınar Aygün is a recipient of the Middle East Technical University Mustafa N. Parlar Foundation Research Incentive Award (2024) and the Science Academy Young Scientist Award (BAGEP, 2025).
Registration
ACerS member: no cost
ACerS GGRN and Material Advantage student member: no cost
Non-member: no cost
Non-member student: no cost
If you have any questions, please contact Vicki Evans.
This webinar is brought to you by the ACerS International Italy Chapter and ACerS International Türkiye Chapter.
To view past ACerS webinars click here.
