IntroductionIn this laboratory report, the item selected for analysis is a turbine blade, specifically for aeronautical purposes such as a jet engine/gas turbine. This part was chosen because it is a crucial part in the aviation field and there are many different aspects and techniques involved in its production. Turbine blades have to deal with extreme conditions such as high temperature and gas pressure, high vibration and high stress, which is why they are usually the limiting factor in a jet engine.BackgroundThe turbine makes part of a jet or gas engine. A jet engine consists of 4 main parts: air intake, compression, combustion and exhaust. The intake is responsible for collecting as much air as possible into the engine. Throughout the compression phase, air is compressed, causing it to move at a higher speed. It is then mixed with the fuel in the combustion chamber to create even more pressure. The turbine then propels this extremely hot, high-pressure air through the exhaust. The exhaust is funnel-shaped, which further increases the gas velocity [1]. The turbine is undoubtedly the part of a jet engine that endures the harshest conditions, which is why it is so crucial. Materials scientists invent new materials and techniques to create better properties to improve the quality of turbine blades. History Since the invention of jet engines, their power and efficiency have steadily increased. For comparison, the air temperature inside the turbine rose from around 600 degrees Celsius to over 1,500 degrees Celsius. This change resulted in a 60% increase in power and a 20% decrease in fuel consumption. These drastic changes also caused a change in the material...... middle of paper...... Ceramics and its applications. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, 2008. The web. December 1, 2013. .[11]Ceramic matrix composite. Digital image. Np, nd Web.[12]“Materials engineering”. Fabrication of ceramic matrix composites by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) [SubsTech]. Np, and Web. December 3, 2013.[13]“Ceramic matrix composite disc brakes. » - Appropedia: the wiki on sustainable development. Np, and Web. December 9, 2013.[14]Wikipedia contributors. “Ceramic matrix composite.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, November 14, 2013. Web. December 10, 2013. Note: We know this is Wikipedia, but it cites 30 reliable sources that are all academic journals. Most sites required payment, so we were unable to cite these sources, which is why we had to cite Wikipedia for background information..