CONTEMPORARY CERAMIC RESEARCH - A ČASE
STUDY
GUNTHER PETZOW
Max-Planck-Institut, Institut fur Metalforschung, Heissenbergstrasse 5, 70569 Stuttgart
Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
it is my great pleasure to he here today and to look at many faces so familiar to me. And this is especially true with Drago Kolar, the bright centre of our Kolar' s Day.
When I was asked by the organisers of Kolar's Day for the title of my speech I suggested: "Drago Kolar - A Pioneer and Ambassador of Science of Ceramics". But as you can realise from the program the title is printed as "Contemporary Ceramic Research - A Čase Study " since I do not know the reason for the change, I assume it is a printing error.
May it be as it is: It does not matter! I simply take as my Čase Study: "Drago Kolar" a short circuit. Because it is evident that "Contemporary Ceramic Research " and Drago Kolar are synonymous.
Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Drago,
"It is an obvious privilege of age to be able to relieve worldly things of their material focus and gravity and il-luminate them with the inner light of the mind, where they can be seen in a panoramic view".
These words were vvritten by Baron Wilhelm von Humboldt, the elder brother of the famous scholar Alex-ander von Humboldt as he turned sixty-five (230 years ago).
I should like to preface my laudatory remarks with these words. They convincingly impact a sense of the maturity that results from a fuli life, whichever turns it may have taken. Experience and calmness are expressed with these vvords and, if you will, an independence of špirit, a piece of self -actualisation. Humbaldt's words are eminently suitable for the present occasion.
Drago Kolar has been a mover and has achieved much. This vvas not always accomplished at first blush and things may not always have gone according to plan. But setbacks are the spice which brings flavour to suc-cess. And in the ups and downs in Drago's life dealt by fate he has remained ever true to his own self, and that alone matters.
The inner light of his ideas - to pick up Humbaldfs thought, the inner light, shines and is reflected in his ac-tions.
Today I am honoured to report on them. I shall do so by follovving the chronological progress of his career, but take some liberties in the selection of events because the limitations of this programme do not permit fuli cover-age of his remarkably multifaceted life.
Prof. dr. Drago Kolar
"Omnium euim reum..." we were taught in school. Ali things begin small - so also little Drago when he en-tered the stage of life on the fifteenth of September, 1932, that is exactly sixty-five years and fifteen days ago.
On this platform, he considered a calling in the arts or perhaps in literature - such vvere the career goals of the grovving boy, whose broad spectrum of talents indi-cated a specific inclination for chemistry, but certainly none in the direction of materials science and engineer-ing. However, it appears that Saint Barbara, the patron of the foundryman and metallurgists and more recently of materials scientists too, had an eye on him. Ali things begin small, but if time is used, they grow! And little Drago grew up. He went to school and he vvas an excel-lent schoolboy and then at the University of Ljubljana a very good študent, who passed his final examination vvith great success in 1957.
Thereafter he began to work on his Ph.D. thesis. The experimental vvork he did at the highly respectable Jožef Štefan Institute and graduated at the University of Ljubljana. It vvas in 1964, vvhen the doctor's degree of science in chemistry vvas confirmed upon him. This is 7 to 8 years after he has received his master certificate. 7 to 8 years are really an unusual time spent for a gradu-
ation. And at first sight one could have the impression of a lazy candidate of poor dynamic, living an unconven-tional life like a bohemian devoted to ali kinds of fun and pleasure.
But as we know: the reverse is true! He has made op-timum use of his time besides his Ph.D. activities. From 1957 to 1959 he has been a Research Assistant at the Jožef Štefan Institute. This occupation was interrupted by a one year's military service, which he has completed in the rank of a non-commissioned officer. Obviously he has not had great interest in a military career. At that time it was a must for a young and ambitious scientist to go for a research stay in a top laboratory in USA. Drago Kolar became a research participant at the International Institute for Nuclear Science and Engineering of Ar-gonne National Laboratory, Illinois. He was in the age of 28 then and really enjoyed the stimulating atmosphere in a famous and renovvned laboratory in which well experi-enced, well-known scientists co-operated with highly motivated young colleagues from ali over the world.
Drago Kolar became involved in investigations on kinetic processes in solid materials. A topic of great fasci-nation to him and vvhich he took up again and again during his further research work; of course always with improved methods and on the basis of an advanced knovvledge. His special interest was preferably directed to high performance ceramics which at that time became a research topic of highest actuality. Remember, it was the time of beginning of the so called ceramic fever. To-day it is obvious vvith this work he has established him-self in the elite of the Contemporary Ceramic Research.
It was in 1961, when Drago Kolar came back home to the Jožef Štefan Institute, where he then ran through a brilliant career form a Research Assistant to a Senior Research Associate and finally, already in 1965 to the Head of the new founded Ceramic Department, vvhich under his leadership has grovvn up to be among the top ceramic research facilities in the vvorld.
Beside his busy professional career he found enough time to court a lovely lady študent named Majda, who he married in 1960. In 1964 - the year of his graduation - he also became father of the vvonderful tvvins Jana and Aleš. Good timing! So, again, I vvould like to repeat: The guess, Drago has been a lazy Ph.D. candidate is com-pletely disproved. Also in his spare private hours he was active and successful.
In addition he vvrote during this time five papers, vvhich have been published in recognised scientific jour-nals. It is really remarkable!
His very first article vvas published 1962 in the March issue of the Journal of the American Ceramic So-ciety, the leading Journal in the field.
In his first paper entitled: " Influence of Gas Flovv on DTA curves of UO2.'1, he described the use of Differen-tial Thermal Analysis to study the oxidation behaviour of U02. The resultant conclusions he gave in regard to the oxidation kinetics are stili relevant today.
Numerous other publications follovved the first ones. Meanvvhile more than 200 papers are on his list of publi-
cations and another more than 200 are published in pro-ceedings, monographs and encyclopaedias. He holds 8 patents, has written two fine textbooks on ceramics and is editor of 5 Proceeding Volumes of International Con-ferences. To underline Dr. Kolar's great scientific poten-tial, one should also mention the high number of invited and introductory lectures on conferences, universities and institutes abroad. I have had the pleasure to hear many of his lectures and I have always been impressed by theirs precision and lucidity.
Drago KoIar's first scientific actions have fallen in a prosperous time for the field of materials science, vvhich flourished, and consequently had a strong influx of stu-dents and scientists from traditional disciplines, mainly from physics. It has been a vvonderful stimulating period, full of nevv and exciting possibilities.
The electron microscopy, for instance, became introduced to materials investigations and brought a deeper insight into the microstructure. The metal physicists ex-amined the structure of real crystals and established the basic understanding of the influence of structural failures on properties. With the upcoming modern computers, simulations and calculations of complex processes and multicomponent materials of higher order could be han-dled much easier than ever before.
In those days generous support to ali fields of science vvas the rule but the outstanding contributions were given to nuclear research and development. Accordingly, nuclear materials have been investigated vvith preference. This has also influenced Drago Kolar's vvork. Synthesis, processing and properties of Uranium containing materials have been mainly his study objects. Hovvever, the period of nuclear euphoria vvas short and even changed to serious non-acceptance by many people, as we knovv. Many of the reactor research centres, vvhich have had grovvn up very fast had to take into account the changing situation and to look for other research topics.
No doubt Drago Kolar vvas among those, vvho have easily foreseen this development. As a consequence he fixed another aim for the research activities in his depart-ment and himself. He decided for advanced materials, and more specifically for functional ceramics. BaTi03 based materials became his personal favourite - one can say "his great love". And indeed these substances are multifunctional vvith many facets and suitable for several applications; as disks and multilayer capacitors for instance and microvvave ceramics and others. BaTi03 can really be compared vvith a coquettish, charming, but mysterious and sometimes even a tricky lady vvho never fully opens her heart. Comparable vvith Mona Lisa vvhose mysterious smile has inspired men's fantasy since long. But Drago Kolar took away many secrets from the difficult and brittle lady BaTi03 and clarified utmost complex phase relations of BaTi03 based multicomponent systems. He discovered several ternary compounds vvith perovskite like structures vvhich exhibit good di-electric properties and high temperature stabilities. And he is among those vvho gave the most solid results in this field. With same exactness he studied the exaggerated
grain growth, twins formation, processing, and sintering of BaTiOi based materials with the aim of dense materi-als of excellent quality.
But of course, BaTiOi was not the only substance in-vestigated by him. More or less ali oxide - nitride and carbide based advanced ceramics have been object of his sophisticated studies. His main scientific interest was al-ways directed to the interrelation between processing, microstructure and properties. Processing mechanism de-termine the microstructural formation. And the microstructure affects many technically important properties and is therefore given considerable attention in science, deveiopment and testing of materials. The higher the de-mands on a material, the more sophisticated the microstructural insight becomes, i.e. the more exacting the re-quirements on the microstructural parameters will be. "Microstructural engineering" or "microstructural design" are the key words that characterise these problems. This scientific strategy is in full accordance with the in-tentions of the Max-Planck Institute for Metals Research at Stuttgart. And this conformitv is the basis for our long-lasting fruitful and pleasant co-operation with pro-fessor Kolar and his wonderful team. For that co-operation I vvould like to express my sincere thanks to you and your co-workers. And I am doing this also on behalf of the board of directors of our institute. I have to bring the greetings and the message: " Dear Drago, you are wel-come in Stuttgart at any time!"
It is an extraordinary merit of Drago Kolar that he in ali his scientific efforts has never lost the view for the requirements of application. Drago Kolar took a scientific curiosity and turned it into an engineering material, whose economic utilisation he significantly influenced.
Best in ali these activities he never deviated from his high scientific standards.
Doubtless he belongs to those pioneers who build bridges from basic research to application, seeking close co-operation with industrial partners.
This underlines again his foresight, for today transfer of science and innovation are required more than ever before. It is a precondition for ali support from govern-ments, business and industry. Here I would like to quote some remarks of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, the great philosopher and mathematician who lived three hundreds years ago. He stated in that time already: "The work of science should be application-oriented from the outset. Otherwise government will withdraw its hands for, the ministries vvill soon tire of useless curiosities and not recommend the prices to put much stock in them."
Teaching and research were always an inseparable unity to Drago Kolar and it is his ongoing concern that his knovvledge and research skills will pass on to future generations.
Numerous diploma and doctoral candidates have con-tributed to his scientific work. Here, it is Drago Kolar, who must be credited for defining the problems, setting quality standards and providing critical guidance to his co-workers. Many of them are present today and will tes-tify to his positive influence on their work.
It is indeed impressive how engaged Drago Kolar took over ali the pleasure and burden of an academic teacher beside his extensive duties as head of the Ceramics Department of the Jožef Štefan Institute. Since 1972 he is teaching at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology at the University of Ljubljana. The same plače where he had done his first steps into science. What a nicely closed circle! After being assistant profes-sor first, he became a full professor of ceramics and materials science in 1977. He thereby entered a circle of in-dividuals of whom Johann Wolfgang Goethe stood in awe and admiration when he wrote to his father in Octo-ber of 1765: You will not believe what a splendid affair a professor is: I was delighted to observe several of these fellows in their glory."
Beyond research and teaching he maintained contacts with many universities and research laboratories and suc-ceeded in bridging research and applications in a most impressive manner. Some of this will become evident in the presentations by several of his road companions, which are to follovv. In acknovvledgement of his extraor-dinary merits in broadening the foundations of materials science and applying this knowledge to the deveiopment of advanced materials he received several honourable in-vitations as a guest professor or a member of advisory boards. I can not mention ali of them. As an example for many others I would like to mention the Keating Cravv-ford distinguished visiting professorship of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science of the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. During this period from 1982 to 1983 he had the opportunity to stay in close exchange of ideas and theories with the famous George Kuczynski, one of the bright brains in the science of sintering.
The high reputation of Drago Kolar creative power is also underlined by the many awards he has won. I have counted about 25, but vvould like to mention only one, vvhich I think is the one vvhich represents Drago Kolar's life - vvork best. That is the distinction as an ambassador of science of the Republic of Slovenia. And I vvould like to go beyond that and add: he is in addition an impressive ambassador of contemporary ceramics and of science of sintering!
Ladies and Gentlemen, there is a saying among chil-dren in our country vvhich is often quoted: "The uncle, who brings a present is much better than the aunt, who plays the piano." And I think since I have not played the laudation piano plentifully, I have to deliver a present. It is a very special one: This sculpture is knovvn as the "Two Particle Man" or "Sinterman". It is the highest distinction that the P/M Committee of the German Materials Society can bestovv. It is only conferred for excep-tional contributions to the field of sintering whereby the recipient is not only critical of his ovvn performance, but also has a sense of humour. The Tvvo-Particle Man con-sists of spherical povvder particles of a particular size distribution, so that in the first sintering stage they form a neck, just as how we understand the tvvo particle sintering theory. The body vvhich represents the particle, and the head vvhich embodies the theory, are equally large.
Of course, that is a big compliment to the theoreticians. Drago knows very well: Theory and practice in sintering are like the hare and the tortoise in a race. Whenever the theory - hare breathlessly reaches the next check point he finds the Practice - tortoise already there. The tortoise smiles and explains: I don't know how, but I am already here!"
This trophy, a high distinction in a humorous form, is in significance comparable to an Oscar. Up to now it has only been avvarded five times to excellent scientists and practitioners in the field of sintering. And now Drago Kolar; the award of this trophy is in recognition of your extraordinary contribution in densification ceramic povv-ders which has brought many advantages. Here symbol-ised by an alumina bali of full density for bioimplanta-tion. The recognition of your theoretical contribution is symbolised by the 3 particles in your hands, which stand for the 3 particle theory, on which we already had end-less discussions. May you, Drago Kolar, as the youngest prize holder, stay in freshness of your colleagues and friends of the German Povvder Metallurgy Committee. And I may add, it is the desire of ali of us.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Drago Kolar is a scientist for whom mental image and practical implementation are not opposites but form a fertile contribution. This I have attempted to demon-strate vvith an account of his professional career.
His recognition among peers had led to his engage-ment in numerous extra curricular activities vvhich he took on and continues to take on cheerfully. By the latest count there have been 16 membership in vvorkshops, topical committees, advisory boards, executive councils, revievv committees, editorial boards, and others. In ali of these bodies he is never just a member but an active par-ticipant in word and deed who gets noticed by his crisp language and his spirited involvement in discussions. Again, I will mention only one example, which involves ali fun and trouble of the preparation and realisation in connection vvith committee activities. That is the Yugo-slav - German co-operation on Engineering Materials Science and Technology. This co-operation started in 1972 vvith good financial support of German government and is now continued by bilateral Slovene-German activities. From the beginning this scientific partnership was characterised by a stimulating exchange of scientists in different fields of research. I think it is not exagger-ated to claim, Drago Kolar was a main driving force be-hind the co-operation and pushing the realisation of the regular meetings. He was the first who has contacted us after the disintegration of former Yugoslavia to start vvith the Slovene-German co-operation again. In lune 1992, he vvrote to me: "In the meantime, we are trying here to
keep our activities on decent level. It is not easy in changing political situation. We are trying to escape the pitfalls of separation. Hovvever, the priče in economical terms is high. But prospects are great and vvith a little help we may catch the prosperity again. My letter con-cerns possible co-operation ...". And novv, five years after independence, Slovenia is a completely accepted candi-date for the European Union.
Novv, of course, Ladies and Gentlemen, no honest human being vvould vvant to stand up and praise his fellovv colleague unless he can claim some affinity vvith him. In this sense, I had no difficulty ansvvering in the affirm-ative vvhen Prof. Stane Pejovnik asked me to present this laudation.
Hovvever, the more I dug into Drago Kolar's back-ground the more obvious it became that I had missed a fevv things and that, perhaps, someone else vvould have been better qualified to give the talk. He might have put a different spin on events in his life and surely vvould have illustrated other facts than I did. What I can say is that: vvith the study of his life history, my admiration of Drago Kolar has grovvn greatly. The performance of Drago Kolar can only be explained by personal effort be-yond the call of duty, a sovereign command of the scientific field and the joy of creative work. It goes vvithout saying that one's vvork environment must be supportive, providing outstanding co-workers, good infrastructure and a peaceful home.
A vvord about Drago's hobbies: First his vvork on Ba-Ti03, second his vvork on exaggerated grain grovvth, third condensor ceramic and then some gardening in the garden of his vveekend house, bicycle riding and slovv vvalking together vvith his male cat David.
Novv Drago Kolar leaves his position as Head of the Ceramics Department. But he vvill not disappear and vvill be present in the department and his partners at the uni-versity and, of course, in the minds and heads of his co-vvorkers and colleagues. And it vvould be vvise to trust furthermore in his experience and advice.
In closing, I should like to add a personal note of friendship that brings us full circle to the vvords of Wil-helm von Humboldt vvith vvhich I began. The vvords are borrovved from inscriptions in St. Paul's Cathedral at Baltimore: "Cheerful and calmly accept the council of age. Take leave of things of youth vvith grace. Whatever your vvork and your yearnings may be, maintain peace vvithin your soul, in the noisy bustle of life".
Dear Drago, your colleagues and the present assem-bly thank you for your many contributions to our field. We vvish you, your family and your institute the very best for a happy future.
Please accept our congratulations and best vvishes on your 65th birthday.