WEEK EIGHT

TOPIC: IDENTIFICATION OF CERAMICS & GLASSES

CONTENT
● Ceramic materials and properties
● Glass materials and properties
CERAMIC MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES
Ceramic is a hard brittle heat-resistant material made by firing a mixture of clay and chemicals at high
temperature. The ceramic products are products made from clay and chemical materials.
Examples are clay pots, marbles, tiles , water-closet, water-jug, glass , water basins etc.

PROPERTIES OF CERAMIC MATERIALS

1. Ceramics are resistant to corrosion.
2. They can withstand very high temperature e.g. furnace and oven.
3. They are electrically resistant.
4. They are usually hard and strong.
5. They have compressive strength.
6. They can easily be molded when wet.
7. They can easily break when dropped on the ground.
GLASS MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES
Glass is a type of ceramic. Glass is a hard usually transparent material made from sand, lime, potash,
soda and lead oxide. To produce glass, these raw materials are mixed and placed in a furnace and
melted. It is then formed into the desired objects.

MAKING GLASS
Making of glass involves the following stages:
1. Mixing the raw materials;
2. Heating (firing) to produce molten glass;
3. Cooling to form rigid glass;
4. Heating again and allowing to cool gradually (annealing).

PROPERTIES OF GLASS
1. It is brittle,
2. It is transparent and
3. Resistant to corrosion.
Examples of glass products are cups, bottles, mirrors, glass tubes, electric bulbs, glass window, glass
doors, eye glasses and lenses.