Date: October 06 - 09, 2025
Location: Smolenice Castle Congress Center, Smolenice, Slovakia
To contribute to the improvement of mechanical and functional properties, reliability, and lifetime of structural, and functional and biomedical ceramics by means of focused discussions and exchange of the current status of knowledge in damage mechanisms and fracture processes in these materials, to provide a forum for researchers around the world to present papers on developments in the field of fracture characterization of recently developed advanced ceramic materials and ceramic matrix composites, to promote the exchange of information between the research community, processing engineers, and users in the field of production, design, and application of advanced ceramics from the point of view of their degradation and failure, to discuss the possibilities of collaboration of Institutes and Companies from different countries in the field of development and testing of advanced ceramics.
Smolenice - the venue for our conference
Smolenice is a village located at the foothills of the Small Carpathians in the Trnava district. It is best known for the Smolenice Castle, while natural attractions include the Driny Cave and the highest peak of the Small Carpathians – Záruby. In Smolenice, the Small Carpathian Wine Route ends, one of Slovakia's renowned wine regions, which begins in Bratislava's Rača district. The village is located approximately 60 km northeast of Bratislava and 25 km northwest of Trnava, along the state road No. 502 from Bratislava to Vrbové. The Smolenice railway station, situated on route No. 116 between Trnava and Kúty, is about 3 km from the village center.
The history of Smolenice Castle
Construction of the Smolenice Castle of today had been started early in the 20th century by Jozef Palffy Jr., the landlord of Smolenice and Dobra Voda estates. First work on the fortification walls started in 1887 already on the bastions. Bastions from the old castle were preserved, with height extension and new roofing. The Count Palffy had built the castle at his own expense according to design by the architect Jozef Hubert. During World War 1, the construction was interrupted; provisional adaptation of some rooms was made and archiv of the Palffy family was located there. The construction was not resumed before the end of World War 2. In 1945 the Castle became the property of the State; it was taken over by the Slovak National Council who decided to have their summer-house there. The castle was finished and furbished and handed over to the Slovak Academy of Sciences on 26 June 1953 to become a representative place for meetings of scientists from worldwide.
Address: Zámocká 18, 919 04 Smolenice, Slovakia
| By car | route Bratislava - Pezinok -Casta - Smolenice : distance: 50 km; class 1 road 2 motorway Bratislava - Trnava – further via class 1 road Trnava - Trstin – Smolenice: distance 75 km |
| By bus | route Bratislava - Myjava and Bratislava - Nove Mesto n/Vahom |
| By air |
to the Vienna/Schwechat Airport, then by bus to the M.R. Stefanik Airport, Bratislava |
| By train | route Bratislava - Trnava – change to route Trnava - Smolenice |
| Shuttle bus could be provided |
Smolenice Castle offers a variety of charming accommodations for conference attendees. The castle features five unique double suites, each located in a different part of the building: one with a stunning view of the Little Carpathians in the main building, one in the bastion, and one in the basement, providing a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Two of the suites are equipped with small but fully functional kitchenettes, while the other three feature a fridge, a kettle with tea bags, and delicious coffee.
In addition to the suites, we offer standard rooms, each including a bathroom, toilet, desk, wardrobe, and TV. Some rooms are equipped with a bathtub, while others have a shower. We also have rooms on the ground floor, specially adapted for disabled guests. The castle’s charming windows further enhance the unique atmosphere of each room.
Single rooms are also available, each with a bathroom, toilet, desk, wardrobe, and TV. Some single rooms feature a bathtub, while others have a shower. These rooms, located throughout the castle, offer a special, fairy-tale-like atmosphere thanks to their distinctive windows.
Because of a limited number of single rooms there is a high probability of sharing room with somebody else.
Click here for Preliminary Registration
The conference fee includes full accommodation for the entire duration of the conference, meals starting with lunch on the first day and concluding with lunch on the final day, and one gala dinner. Additionally, the fee covers participation in the social program, which includes activities and networking opportunities, as well as organized bus transportation from Bratislava to the conference venue and back.
| Registration Category | Before August 1, 2025 | On-Site Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Participant | 900€ | 950€ |
| Student | 500€ | 550€ |
| Accompanying Person | 500€ | 550€ |
The Conference fee should be settled by the opening date of the Conference. In case of late payment we ask you to present a copy of the bank transfer of your payment to ensure your admission.
Remittance information: Please, include FAC2025 and the name of the participant(s) on the transfer form.
Account. No.IBAN: SK96 0900 0000 0000 1148 4530
BIC: GIBASKBX
Payment reference:0609102025
Beneficiary´s bank:: Slovenská sporiteľňa, a.s.
Tomášikova 48
832 37 Bratislava
Slovenská republika
Beneficiary´s adress:
Slovenská silikátová vedecko-technická spoločnosť
Koceľová 15
815 94 Bratislava
Country code: SK
Please note that the payment for bank transfer has to be charged to the sender!
We invite all participants to submit an abstract for the upcoming conference. Abstracts should be submitted no later than the deadline, and must follow the guidelines provided in the document. Please download the submission guidelines below and ensure your abstract follows the required format.
The deadline for abstract submission has been extended to July 31, 2025.
Selected papers of the conference will be published after peer review in the Special Issue of the Journal of the European Ceramic Society. More information regarding the selection and submission of papers for the Special Issue will be given by the guest editors during the conference in Smolenice.
Institute of Materials Research, Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)
Watsonova 47, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
Email: fac2025@saske.sk
Phone: +421/55/7922 489
+421/55/7922 814
Slovak Silicate Scientific-Technological Society
Koceľova 15, 815 94, Bratislava, Slovakia
Phone: +421 2 594 10 403