In the area of ceramics processing, capability for producing thick films using tape casting exists. Raw ceramic powders are ball milled with additives and made in the form of a slurry of controlled viscosity and then processed as a green tape using a tape caster that has a traversing doctor blade mounted on a flat bed. Screen printing techniques are used to apply thick film metal patterns such as electrodes and heater elements. A thermal sputtering unit is also available to produce finer patterns and thin films. High temperature furnaces and kiln furniture needed to sinter ceramic parts are part of the laboratory facilities.
Facilities also exist to cold isopress ceramic parts, such as disks.
Capabilities of the laboratory also include facilities for testing the mechanical, thermal , and electrical characteristics of ceramics. The laboratory has several test beds that can characterize the performance of solid oxide electrolyzers and fuel cells. A Mars simulation chamber is part of the laboratory. In this chamber the composition, pressure, and temperature of the Mars atmosphere can be simulated and the day-night diurnal cycle can be programmed and controlled using PC based controllers. Critical endurance test beds are equipped with emergency battery back-up systems to allow for uninterrupted testing in case of a short duration power outage.