https://phys.org/news/2018-05-ceramics-deform-metals-sintered-electric.html > These issues are particularly problematic for ceramic coatings of metal engine blades intended to protect metal cores from a range of operational temperatures. A study published in Nature Communications demonstrates for the first time that applying an electric field to the formation of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), a typical thermal barrier ceramic, makes the material almost as plastic, or easily reshaped, as metal at room temperature. Engineers could also see cracks sooner since they start to slowly form at a moderate temperature as opposed to higher temperatures, giving them time to rescue a structure. > "In the past, when we applied a high load at lower temperatures, a large number of ceramics would fail catastrophically without warning," said Xinghang Zhang, professor of materials engineering. "Now we can see the cracks coming, but the material stays together; this is predictable failure and much safer for the usage of ceramics."