9.12 - Ceramics & Composites

Glass and clay ceramics

• A ceramic is a solid that is not a metal and is not built from carbon compounds, and has a high melting point.
• Ceramics are stiff, hard-wearing, brittle, and insulators of heat and electricity.
• They do not corrode or rot.

The two main types are glass and clay ceramics:

1. Glass - Usually transparent, can be shaped while hot, and brittle when thin.
2. Clay ceramics - Include pottery and bricks. A clay brick has a high compressive strength, so it can support heavy loads without breaking.

Composites

• A composite is made of one material embedded in another:
  • The reinforcement - Fibres or fragments of the first material.
  • The matrix (or binder) - A second material surrounding them and holding them in place.
• The combination has properties neither material has on its own, allowing composites to be designed for specific uses.
• Their main drawback is cost.