Question: WHAT ARE CERAMICS? Iwant to know?

Alex Leide answered on 13 Nov 2019:

This is a difficult question to answer, and we sometimes debate this in our office. Ceramics are inorganic, non-metallic solids. So this means they are not metals, or plastics, but are solid. This includes a massive range of materials. Most rocks are ceramics, glass (there are lots of different types), pottery and porcelain, bricks, concrete… and “advanced ceramics” which are what I work on. They are advanced because they are not made of natural materials, they have to be made by humans. They have two or more types of atoms (normally one type of metal atom, and one of oxygen, carbon, or nitrogen) connected by chemical bonds. These bonds make them very hard and stiff, and very heat resistant. Many advanced ceramics stay strong to over 3000 C, where almost all metals will have melted. We can use them for parts of space rocket and jet engines, for cutting metals, fusion reactors, and bulletproof armour. I hope this helps answer your question!