WHAT IS A CERAMIC ?

A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous (e.g., a glass). Because most common ceramics are crystalline, the definition of ceramic is often restricted to inorganic crystalline materials, as opposed to the noncrystalline glasses. The earliest ceramics were pottery objects made from clay, either by itself or mixed with other materials, hardened in fire. Later ceramics were glazed and fired to create a colored, smooth surface.

CLASSIFICATION OF CERAMICS
Examples of white ware ceramics Earthenware, which is often made from clay, quartz and feldspar. Stoneware Porcelain, which is often made from kaolin Bone china Classification of technical ceramics Technical ceramics can also be classified into three distinct material categories: Oxides: alumina, beryllium, ceria, zirconium Nonoxides: carbide, boride, nitride, silicate Composite materials: particulate reinforced, fiber reinforced, combinations of oxides and monoxides. Each one of these classes can develop unique material properties because ceramics tend to be crystalline Ceramic materials are brittle, hard, strong in compression, weak in shearing and tension. They withstand chemical erosion that occurs in other materials subjected to acidic or caustic environments. Ceramics generally can withstand very high temperatures, such as temperatures that range from 1,000 C to 1,600 C (1,800 F to 3,000 F

TYPES OF CERAMICS
Crystalline ceramics Crystalline ceramic materials are not amenable to a great range of processing. Methods for dealing with them tend to fall into one of two categories either make the ceramic in the desired shape, by reaction in situ, or by "forming" powders into the desired shape, and then sintering to form a solid body. Ceramic forming techniques include shaping by hand (sometimes including a rotation process called "throwing"), slip casting, tape casting (used for making very thin ceramic capacitors, e.g.), injection molding, dry pressing, and other variations. Details of these processes are described in the two books listed below. A few methods use a hybrid between the two approaches. Noncrystalline ceramics Noncrystalline ceramics, being glasses, tend to be formed from melts. The glass is shaped when either fully molten, by casting, or when in a state of toffee-like viscosity, by methods such as blowing to a mold. If later heat treatments cause this glass to become partly crystalline, the resulting material is known as a glassceramic, widely used as cook top.

A crystalline ceramic pot

PROCESS OF MAKING CERAMIC PRODUCTS

We use two different types of clay: the first is a traditional type of clay, exactly like the one used by potters in Italy in the 15th century. It is formed through fluvial sedimentation of soil over millions of years. During processing it is grey green in color and after firing it shows the typical Tuscan brick red. The finished shapes are usually called biscotto (from bis = two, twice, and cotto = cooked; biscuit or bisque) as they are first cooked in the sun and then the second time in fire. This clay is used to produce the traditional plates on a potters wheel, vases, jugs, cups and all other objects of a rounded shape. It can also be used to produce special shapes in plaster moulds like - for example oval trays, which cannot be made on a wheel. Another type of clay we use is comparatively more refined and modern and comes closer to white porcelain in color and specific weight. This material is used in liquid form to create products by pouring the slip into plaster moulds. Basically this is the same technique as used when creating bronze statues by pouring molten metal into a negative shape of the object to be created, but using cold materials. After the firing in the kiln we have a terracotta form. The next stage of the process is glazing. Each piece is dipped into liquid glaze, which we prepare ourselves, and when entirely coated in the glaze it is left to dry for a day or two.

CONTINUATION
Then the most time consuming part begins. Each piece is individually hand painted, allowing the personal style of each painter to appear. The paints are made from natural minerals and by mixing them in our own studio we are able to obtain a broad range of tonalities, which distinguishes our work from other ceramics. The powder color is mixed with water and then applied to the glazed surface of each piece. The most remarkable thing to notice at this stage is the flat, opaque nature of the color before firing, and each painter must be aware of how these colors will change during firing to ensure that the correct tonality is achieved in the end. The final stage of the production is the second firing. This transforms not only the colors, but also the glaze, which becomes a solid shiny surface that will survive well for many years. The gas fired kiln reaches a temperature of 940-950 C (about 1700 F) in a twenty-four hour cycle, twelve hours to reach the maximum temperature and twelve hours to completely cool. Only then can we open the kiln and discover the results of so much patient work.

TERRACOTTA
Introduction-Pottery is one of the oldest crafts which the man evolved at

the down of civilization. For various uses for the mankind, the terracotta products are being fabricated by using red clay as main resource.. Different Terracotta products and its uses- Terracotta products fabricated by potters in our country are of much use for people. In olden days there were great demands for the clay products for various uses. These products are of high demand in the market due to the reason that these products are consumer oriented products which meets the requirement of the people. The fine terracotta products for cooking and serving get importance in the pottery sector. These products are off aesthetics and various utility nature. The products fabricated to meet the demand as decorative purpose and also for house hold utility are getting momentum in the present marketing scenario.

PRODUCTS AND ITS USES

Product Range- Terracotta product plays an important role in human life. It has various uses for daily consumption, building materials, decorative purpose, cultural usage etc.
Terracotta roof and floor tiles- Terracotta roof tiles are used in variably in

our country for roofing the houses. The floor tiles fabricated by using red clay are still in the scene of flooring the houses in the rural sector. The water absorbing character and keeping the rooms humid enjoys preference among the rural people. Glazed red clay terracotta roofing tiles is also enjoying the preference by the elite as well as civilized people even in urban areas.

Murals and grills- this is one of the emerged terracotta products which is being utilized by people. The terracotta murals are used as decorative tiles with the design and shape to meet the aesthetics need of the people. It Is painted as per the need of the costumer.

CONTINUATION
Cooking pots- terracotta products play a major role in cooking sector. Traditionally all cooking conducted in the households were undertaken by using terracotta products. This practice of cooking in terracotta wares was prevailing throughout the country.
Other household utility wares- products range under this variety has

multiple usages. Products for usage like bowls, katories, dishes, for storing the cooked food and serving this food in terracotta vitrified and semi vitrified plates. Another important role of terracotta products are of storing purpose. Different types of shapes of water pots are fabricated are being utilized for keeping water especially during summer season.

Limitation

The present cooking pots being fabricated by the rural potters in

various villagers are very heavy which consumes lot of fuel at the time of cooking. The quality of the products is inferior and breaks in a short span of time. The products range of traditional products is minimum so that selection of a port for a particular purpose could not be possible. The designs of the pots are different from the taste of the people. By and large people of low economic profile are using the clay pots for cooking except very few people uses the pots in the high class sector.

Fabrication Work
For preparing the cooking pot four different methods were adopted. Throwing method By this method the cooking pot was fabricated by using a potters wheel. The clay body was kept on the potters wheel and by manual operation the shape has given. In this method also the bottom portion of the cooking pot was made flat to have the stability of the ware. Jiggering method In this method few types of the cooking and serving pots were fabricated. Before the fabrication work model for the pots were formed, moulds fabricated and the products were fabricated. The same clay body with less plasticity and more water content than the body used for throwing was prepared and articles formed in the jiggering for the fabrication work, a mechanical device called jigger and jolley were utilized. This machine is utilized for

 Casting method In this method casting slip of the red clay was prepared out of the red clay was prepared out of the red clay with the addition of deflocculating agents of sodium silicate and caustic soda. This casting slip was poured in a plaster of Paris mould and the articles are casted. Pressing method By this method either metallic moulds or moulds fabricated by using Plaster of Paris was used. The ready made clay body was pressed over the moulds and the articles were formed.

Presented by:
Aarushi Gaur Palak Bhutani Aakriti Verma