Thermal properties of porous ceramics

As porous ceramics are attractive materials for different high-temperature applications, such as thermal insulators, high-temperature filters, porous burners, etc., a thorough understanding of their thermal properties is crucial. Among different thermal properties, while the melting points and coefficients of thermal expansion are independent of porosity, thermal conductivity, thermal shock resistance, and thermal fatigue resistance strongly depend upon the selection of the bulk ceramic, amount of porosity, and different pore characteristics such as pore shape and size, pore connectivity and anisotropy, etc. In this review paper, a thorough description of the different structural and physical characteristics controlling the thermal properties of porous ceramics has been provided, along with a critical analysis of the published experimental results. Finally, some potential directions for future research on the thermal properties of porous ceramics have been identified.