Ceramics, including natural and synthetic materials with a crystalline structure, have been used throughout history for art, food preservation, and industry. The modern ceramics industry creates everything from electronics to building components, with products classified as household, structural, refractory, and engineered ceramics. Manufacturers have developed synthetic and composite materials for advanced applications, including electronics and space shuttles. Ceramics are non-metallic, providing benefits of metal without thermal and electrical current transfer.
Ceramics is a broad term used to describe natural and synthetic materials with a crystalline structure. Throughout history, pottery has played an important role in industry and everyday life as it was used to produce art, food preservation, and even ancient currency. The modern ceramics industry continues to thrive, with manufacturers relying on this material to create everything from electronics to building components. The pottery industry includes everything from the small artisan selling clay pots to the international corporation supplying a line of semiconductors.
The pottery industry dates back thousands of years. Indeed, much of modern archeology is concerned with the quarrying and study of clay vessels. By the 20th century, manufacturers had developed a number of synthetic ceramics that could be used in more advanced and technical applications. In the 20th century, the field of nanotechnology opened new doors for the ceramic industry as manufacturers search for materials that can be used in small-scale applications.
Products within the ceramic industry can be classified as one of four basic types. Household, or white, products include dishes, pottery, and porcelain toilets or baths. Structural products include those used in the construction industry, such as roof or floor tiles. Refractory lines are more specialized and consist of things like furnace liners and equipment insulation designed to handle extremely high temperatures. Engineered ceramics are more advanced and include things like ceramic brake pads, dental implants, and semiconductors.
In the early days of the pottery industry, manufacturers relied on basic earth or clay. They soon switched to quartz, stone, and porcelain, which offered greater durability and strength. Eventually, manufacturers began developing inorganic substitutes for these natural products. Synthetic and composite materials include silicide and oxide as well as fiber-reinforced ceramics. These more advanced materials are used in electronics, as well as things like planes, satellites, and space shuttles.
The ceramics industry plays an important role in modern manufacturing, and this role expands with each major improvement in technology. In the early 21st century, a large percentage of electronic products and other goods contain some form of ceramic. This material is found in cell phones, medical equipment, and thousands of other items. Part of the reason manufacturers have adopted ceramics is due to their strength and durability, but also because they are non-metallic. This means they can offer many of the benefits of metal without the thermal and electrical current transfer associated with metal products.
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