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Material Science. Ceramics. Introduction to ceramics. Ceramics are inorganic, non‑metallic materials, which are processed and may be used at high temperatures.
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Material Science Ceramics
Introduction to ceramics • Ceramics are inorganic, non‑metallic materials, which are processed and may be used at high temperatures. • They consist mainly of silicon chemically combined with non‑metallic elements such as oxygen, carbon and nitrogen and with metallic compounds • hard and brittle • low tensile strengths • high compressive strengths and the ability to retain this strength at high temperatures • Examples: cements, glasses, refractories and abrasives
Typesof ceramics: • Crystalline ceramics • Amorphous ceramics • Bonded ceramics
Crystalline ceramics I • These are widely used for cutting tools and abrasives • They may be single‑phase materials such as aluminium oxide (corundum), or mixtures of such compounds • have a greater refractoriness than most metals (Tantalum carbide3890oC) • Hardness of some ceramic materials are very high (same as diamond)
Crystalline ceramics II • Glazed porcelain insulators are used for electrical insulation purposes as supporting high‑ and medium‑voltage overhead electric cables • The hard glaze prevents the insulators from 'weathering'. Any dirt deposited on hard glazed porcelain is quickly washed away by rain as it cannot adhere to the smooth surface. • Unglazed ceramics are used for wire‑wound resistors and for heating elements.
Crystalline ceramics III Traditional shaping methods for ceramics consist of : • hand and machine moulding • powder pressing • the extrusion and rolling of a plastic, clay‑water mixture
Amorphous ceramics • This group of for ceramic materials is not crystalline and the molecules are not arranged in regular geometric patterns • This group of ceramic materials includes the 'glasses' as used for such applications as glazing, mirrors, optical lenses, reinforcement fibres GRP products and optical fibres for data transmission.
Bonded ceramics • This group includes the 'clay' products • These are complex materials containing both crystalline and amorphous constituents in which individual crystals are bonded together by a glassy matrix after 'firing‘ • The uses of ceramic products from this group include electrical insulators and refractories for furnace linings.