Ceramic Foam

<p><b>Ceramic foam</b> is a tough <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foam" title="Foam">foam</a> made from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceramic" title="Ceramic">ceramics</a>. Manufacturing techniques include impregnating open-cell polymer foams internally with ceramic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slurry" title="Slurry">slurry</a> and then firing in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiln" title="Kiln">kiln</a>, leaving only ceramic material. The foams may consist of several ceramic materials such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum_oxide" title="Aluminum oxide" class="mw-redirect">aluminum oxide</a>, a common high-temperature ceramic, and gets insulating powers from the many tiny air-filled voids within the material.

The foam can be used not only for thermal insulation,<sup id="cite_ref-sciencedaily_0-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceramic_foam#cite_note-sciencedaily-0">[1]</a></sup> but for a variety of other applications such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_insulation" title="Acoustic insulation" class="mw-redirect">acoustic insulation</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-sciencedaily_0-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceramic_foam#cite_note-sciencedaily-0">[1]</a></sup> absorption of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_pollutants" title="Environmental pollutants" class="mw-redirect">environmental pollutants</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-sciencedaily_0-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceramic_foam#cite_note-sciencedaily-0">[1]</a></sup> filtration of molten metal alloys, and as substrate for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalyst" title="Catalyst" class="mw-redirect">catalysts</a> requiring large internal surface area.

It has been used as stiff lightweight structural material, specifically for support of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflecting_telescope" title="Reflecting telescope">reflecting telescope</a> mirrors.</p>