Materials scienceLesson 1 of 5 in the course Ceramics and glass

Ceramics: Composition, Processing, Properties, and Applications

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Ceramics range from ancient pottery and bricks to materials used in modern electronics and engineering. This lesson introduces what defines a ceramic, how ceramic-making developed, and what archaeological objects can reveal about past societies.

A ceramic is generally an inorganic, nonmetallic material that is shaped and then fired at high temperature. Firing causes physical and chemical changes that give the finished material its properties. Common examples include earthenware, porcelain, and brick. Ceramics are often hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and resistant to corrosion.

All flashcards

What is a ceramic?
Generally, an inorganic, nonmetallic material shaped and fired at high temperature.
What does ceramic microstructure include?
Features such as grains, grain boundaries, pores, microcracks, defects, and secondary phases.
What is crack bridging?
A toughening mechanism in which fibers or whiskers span a crack and resist its opening.
What is ice-templating used to create?
Aligned macroscopic pores in a ceramic structure.
What is a varistor?
A device whose resistance drops sharply when voltage reaches a threshold, helping dissipate energy.

Quiz questions

  1. Why do many ceramics fracture before they deform substantially?Answer: Rigid ionic or covalent structures allow little dislocation motion.
  2. How can zirconia’s phase transformation improve ceramic toughness?Answer: A stress-induced transformation expands the material and opposes crack growth.
  3. What happens to a varistor’s resistance when voltage reaches its threshold?Answer: It drops sharply, allowing the device to dissipate energy.
  4. What defines ferroelectric behavior in a ceramic?Answer: An applied electric field can orient or reverse a stable electric dipole.
  5. Which ceramic product group includes kiln linings designed to tolerate high temperatures?Answer: Refractories.

Based on the Wikipedia article Ceramic, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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