Ceramics – an inorganic compound consisting of a metal or semi-metal and one or more non-metals

PROPERTIES OF CERAMIC
1. High hardness, electrical and thermal insulating, chemical stability and high melting
temperatures
2. Brittle, virtually, no ductility
3. Some are translucent

CATEGORIES OF CERMICS
1. Traditional Ceramics – clay products based on mineral silicates, silica and mineral oxides
found in nature
RAW MATERIALS
a. MINERAL SILICATES
- Most abundant substances in nature and constitute the principal raw
material for traditional ceramics
b. ALUMINA
- Solid crystalline compound formed and mixed in the Earth’s crust over
billion of years by complex geological processes
2. New Ceramics – ceramic materials developed synthetically over the last several decades
a. CARBIDES
i. Silicon Carbide (SiC) – man made ceramic developed century ago and is
included
ii. WC, TiC, and TaC – valued for their hardness and wear resistance in cutting
tools; usually bind with metallic binder such as Cobalt and Nickel to fabricate a
useful solid product
b. NITRIDES
i. Silicon Nitride, Boron Nitride, and Titanium Nitride – hard brittle, high melting
temperatures; electrical insulators except Titanium Nitride
c. OXIDE CERAMICS
i. Alumina – produced synthetically from bauxite, using an electric furnace method;
good hot hardness, low thermal conductivity and good corrosion resistance

PRODUCTS:
- abrasives
- bioceramics
- electrical insulators and electronic components
- refractory brick
- cutting tools inserts
- spark plug barrels
- engineering components
 1. DENSITY – lighter than memtals but heavier than polymers
2. MELTING TEMPERATURE – higher than for most metals; decompose rather than melt
3. ELECTRICAL AND THERMAL CONDUCTIVITIES
4. THERMAL EXPANSION

CERAMIC PRODUCTS
1. Clay construction products – bricks, clay pipe, and building tile
2. Refractory Ceramics – ceramics capable of high temperature applications such as furnace
walls
3. Cement
4. Whiteware Products – chinaware, porcalein
5. Glass
6. Glass Fibers – plastic glass
7. Abrasives
8. Cutting Tool Materials
9. Ceramic Insulators
10. Magnetic Ceramics – computer memories
11. Nuclear Fuels
12. Bioceramics

ELEMENTS RELATED TO CERAMICS

1. Graphite
2. Diamond
3. Silicon
4. Boron

GUIDE TO PROCESSING CERAMICS

1. Molten Ceramics
2. Particulate Ceramics – traditional and new ceramics