CERAMIC:

Ceramics are classified as inorganic and nonmetallic materials. Ceramic materials

may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous (e.g.,
a glass). Ceramic insulators have a wide range of electrical properties. The electrical
properties of a recently discovered family of ceramics based on a copper-oxide
mixture allow these ceramics to become superconductive, or to conduct electricity
with no resistance, at temperatures much higher than those at which metals do .In
space technology, ceramic materials are used to make components for space
vehicles.

TYPES OF CERAMIC:
1. Traditional ceramic
2. Advanced ceramic

TRADITIONAL CERAMIC:
Traditional ceramics are generally ceramics are formed of:
MATERIALS
Feldspar
China clay
Flint
Ball clay
Talc

% OF MATERIALS
35%
28%
25%
10%
02%

ADVANCED CERAMIC (technical ceramics):

Advanced ceramics consist of carbides (SiC), pure oxides (Al 2O3), nitrides (Si3N4), non-silicate glasses
and many others. Low density (compared to steel), chemical reliability, the excellent
resistance & hardness and high thermal and corrosive resistance are only some of
the outstanding characteristics of this high tech material. Technical Ceramics are
often used for corrosive and wear applications as well as for high temperature
appliance.

PROPERTIES OF CERAMICS:
PROPERTY
Hardness
Elastic modulus
Thermal expansion
Ductility
Corrosion resistance
Wear resistance
Electrical conductivity
Density

CERAMICS
Very high
Very high
High
Low
High
High
Depends on material
Low

Thermal conductivity
Depends on material
Actually now-a-days different strengthen materials are added in ceramics to
increase its strength and make it physically strong. Thats why its some properties
are material dependant.

APPLICATIONS:
ELECTRICAL AND MAGNETIC:
Ceramic materials have a wide range of electrical properties. Ceramics such as
aluminum oxide (Al2O3) do not conduct electricity at all and are used to make
insulators. Stacks of disks made of this material are used to suspend high-voltage
power lines from transmission towers and no. of discs depends upon voltages.
Voltages
No. of disc
132kv
8
220kv
10
500kv
13
Other ceramics make excellent semiconductors. Small semiconductor chips, often
made from barium titanate (BaTiO3) and strontium titanate (SrTiO3), may contain
hundreds of thousands of transistors, making possible the miniaturization of
electronic devices.
MECHANICAL:
Industrial ceramics are widely used for applications requiring strong, hard, and
abrasion-resistant materials. For example, machinists use metal-cutting tools tipped
with alumina, as well as tools made from silicon nitrides, to cut, shape, grind, sand,
and polish cast iron, nickel-based alloys, and other metals. Silicon nitrides, silicon
carbides, and certain types of zirconias are used to make components such as
valves and turbocharger rotors for high-temperature diesel and gas-turbine engines.
The textile industry uses ceramics for thread guides that can resist the cutting
action of fibers traveling through these guides at high speed.
AEROSPACE:
Aerospace engineers use ceramic materials and cermets to make components for
space vehicles. Such components include heat-shield tiles for the space shuttle and
nosecones for rocket payloads.
BIO CERAMICS:
Certain advanced ceramics are compatible with bone and tissue and are used in the
biomedical field to make implants for use within the body. For example, specially
prepared, porous alumina will bond with bone and other natural tissue. Medical and
dental specialists use this ceramic to make hip joints, dental caps, and dental

bridges. Ceramics such as calcium hydroxyl phosphates are compatible with bone
and are used to reconstruct fractured or diseased bone

NUCLEAR POWER:
Engineers use uranium ceramic pellets to generate nuclear power. These pellets are
produced in fuel fabrication plants from the gas uranium hexafluoride (UF6). The
pellets are then packed into hollow tubes called fuel rods and are transported to
nuclear power plants.
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION:
Manufacturers use ceramics to make bricks, tiles, piping, and other construction
materials. Ceramics for these purposes are made primarily from clay and shale.
Household fixtures such as sinks and bathtubs are made from feldspar- and claybased ceramics.
COATING:
Because ceramic materials are harder and have better corrosion resistance than
most metals, manufacturers often coat metal with ceramic enamel.

REFERENCES:
http://www.brighthubengineering.com/manufacturing-technology/56841what-are-ceramic-materials-and-their-uses/

http://matse1.matse.illinois.edu/ceramics/ware.html
http://ceramics.org/learn-about-ceramics/structure-and-properties-ofceramics
http://www.hcstarck.com/en/products/advanced_ceramics.html
http://autocww.colorado.edu/~flc/E64ContentFiles/Construction/Ceramics.h
tml