Ceramics Basic Terms

In western terms raku is a process in which pieces are rapidly heated to 1800 degrees f.

Ceramics basic terms. 61 3 8761 6322 fax. Creation of an object out of clay. A natural material extracted from the earth s crust. It is the indispensable factor in pottery or ceramics sculpture.

The heat treatment of ceramics materials at least to the sintering state in practice to a minimum of red heat 600c 1112f. For example clay has chemically bonded water in it which will cause it to slake down disintegrate when a dried clay object is put in water. Wedging a method of kneading clay to make it homogenous by cutting and rolling. Neither sun heat nor an over will fire ceramics works.

Firing is what most ceramics have in common. The very word ceramic originally comes from sanskrit and means to burn these four basic processes digging the raw material from the ground adding water shaping and firing have been used to make ceramics for thousands of years. It also includes many articles such as large grain jars used in ancient times for storing corn and other dry materials wine jars and modern sanitaryware and the large tanks for containing corrosive acids. As well saw dust kilns fail to reach the required temperature.

Ceramic tiles get their hardness from being fired. Throwing creating ceramic shapes on the potter s wheel. Transparent glaze transmits light clearly. Technically ceramics are those things made from materials which are permanently changed when heated.

The term pottery includes many varieties of ware from the crudest vessels of prehistoric times to the most beautiful decorated porcelains stoneware and earthenware. The crystallinity of ceramic materials ranges from highly oriented to semi crystalline vitrified and often completely amorphous e g glasses most often fired ceramics are either vitrified or semi vitrified as is the case with earthenware stoneware and porcelain varying crystallinity and electron composition in the ionic and covalent bonds cause most ceramic materials to be good thermal. Stoneware all ceramic wear fired between 2 100 and 2 300 degrees. Once heated fired to between 660 and 1470 f 350 and 800 c the clay is converted to ceramic and will never dissolve again.

The composition if clay particles renders a plastic quality which means it deforms under pressure and retains a new shape without. Basic ceramic terms ceramics. Yagi studio getty images. Firing involved two different cycles.

Ceramics are used in a variety of applications including window glass implantable teeth brick ceramic bones nuclear fuel tennis racquets solid state electronic devices engine components cutting tools valves bearings and chemical processing equipment. Ceramics terms glossary begun largely using the complete guide to high fire glazes. Walker ceramics australia 5 mclellan st bayswater vic australia 3153 ph. Vitrification the firing of pottery to the point of glossification.