[jacquesm]

Steel is routinely welded robotically. There are a very large number of applications where this advance in materials science will make a very large difference, keep in mind that:

- ceramics are thermally quite stable (with respect to expansion/contraction)

- ceramics do not conduct electricity

- ceramics do not melt easily

- ceramics are hard; leading to excellent longevity

- ceramics are chemically very stable

This is a pretty major thing.

[neltnerb]

I agree with you that it's a big deal to be able to do it, but I am pretty sure it'll stay specialty and extremely expensive for a long time. Brazing is good enough for a lot of things after all, just not so much against corrosion or super high temperatures.

[leoc]

I wonder if this might be a possible step on the way to the "magic plumbing" that molten-salt thorium reactors apparently need?