History

Word of "Ceramic" has been derived from keramos, a Greek word means Crockery or a fired thing. Indeed, this science originates from initial terracotta made by preliminary human being. In fact, prior to discovering and using metals, the clay was being used by the human being, because of its abundance and easily molding in the case of combination with water and semi law temperature requirement, to manufacture its required tools and devices. Aluminosilicates are consisted from aluminum, silicium and oxygen which constitute approx.85 percent of solid crust of the earth. These three elements are the most elements of the earth crust.

Pottery as industry has developed considerably in 4000 AC. Presently, ceramic is defined as art or science of making and using some solid things which are consisted of inorganic and non-metallic materials mainly, analyzing and structure and properties of such materials are considered a part of this science.

Ceramic Byproducts: Ceramic byproducts can be divided in two classes:

1. Traditional Ceramics: Cement, silicate glasses and porcelains are the main ingredients of silicate industries including clay-made products.
   Glass byproducts are considered as the greatest part of ceramic industry. Other parts are as following (In preference order):
   Internal cement products (such as hydraulic cements which are used in construction industry)
   Whiteware: including crockery, porcelain and porcelain combinations.
   Porcelain glazes:
   Constructional clay products: bricks and tiles are its most important members.
   Refractory
   Constituting industry of abrasives: mainly silicium carbide and aluminates
    
2. Modern Ceramics: they has been produced in order to meet special requirements such as more thermal resistance, better mechanic properties and special electric features and more chemical resistance
   Some of them are as following:
   Pure oxidized ceramics with uniform structure: are used as electric components with….
   Some oxides such as Al2O3, Z2O2, ThO2, BeO, MgO are used repeatedly.
   Electro-optic Ceramics (Electronic-optic): Such as LiNbO3 and Titanate which prepare a medium in which electric signals convert to optic ones.
   
   Magnetic Ceramics: They constitute basis of magnetic memory units in huge computers.
   Uni-crystals:
   Nitride ceramics: Including Aluminum Nitride, Silicium Nitride, Boron Nitride which are refractories can tolerate very high temperatures.
   Ceramic glazes: are used as cover for aluminum metal.
   Composites (metal and ceramic): There are both metal and ceramic phases in such materials.
   Ceramic Carbides: are used as abrasives.
   Ceramic borides: Their high importance is due to their high solidity and resistance against oxidization in high temperatures.
   Ferroelectric ceramics: They have a high dielectric constant and they used as electronic compartments in condensers.
   Glass-ceramics:
   Ceramic Science:
   Ceramic science is divided in two physical and industrial ceramic, generally.
   Physical ceramic branch discuses about ceramic materials and their properties. Atomic structure, atomic interfaces, crystal structures, glass structure, structure defects, phasic degradations, re-crystallization etc. are analyzed in this branch. Moreover, electric, magnetic, optic, thermal, mechanic properties of ceramics are studies here.
   
   Ceramic construction know-how and technology are discussed in industrial ceramic branch. Principally, each ceramic thing is manufactured as the follows:
   Selecting raw materials and condensing and purifying them
   Preparing raw materials (grinding, grading, mixing)
   Molding
   Desiccation
   Firing (Zintering)