Knowra Ceramic Ceramic A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic material made by shaping and firing mineral or synthetic powders, or by other processing routes. Ceramics are often hard, heat-resistant, and brittle.
Ionic bond : A chemical bond formed through electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions. Ionic bonding gives many ceramics high melting points and resistance to deformation.
Sintering : A process that bonds particles by heating them below their melting point, usually to densify a compact. Sintering converts shaped ceramic powder into a solid body while limiting full melting.
Porcelain : A dense, vitrified ceramic traditionally made from kaolin, feldspar, and quartz or related materials. Porcelain shows how vitrification can produce strong, low-porosity tableware and electrical insulators.
Metal : A material whose atoms are held together primarily by metallic bonding, often with high electrical and thermal conductivity. Metals generally deform plastically, unlike ceramics, which often fracture with little warning.
Covalent bond : A chemical bond formed when atoms share electron pairs. Strong directional covalent bonds make many ceramics hard and thermally stable.
Ceramic forming : Methods for shaping ceramic powders, pastes, or melts into usable forms before or during consolidation. Forming establishes the shape and density distribution that firing must preserve.
Refractory : A material designed to retain useful properties at very high temperatures. Refractory ceramics line furnaces and kilns where ordinary materials would soften or react.
Polymer : A material made of molecules containing long chains of repeating structural units. Polymers are typically lighter and more deformable, but less heat-resistant than ceramics.
Crystal structure : The repeating three-dimensional arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in a crystalline solid. Ceramic crystal structures govern density, fracture behavior, and other material properties.
Ceramic firing : The controlled heating of ceramic objects to produce desired chemical, structural, and mechanical changes. Firing drives bonding and phase changes that determine the finished ceramic's properties.
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