Ceramic Branches

Broadly speaking, pottery falls into two categories. These are called “traditional” or “advanced.” The traditional category is generally the one where consumer goods are located. Everything that is used for day-to-day use such as plates, ovenware or other utensils that can be used in a kitchen is traditional ceramics.

When an industry takes ceramics to look at its other components, such as mechanical, electrical, optical, or other ways of using the product, it becomes more of a commercial force and is used in a larger way. There are also refectories and they are used in the manufacture of iron and steel. There are a variety of products that are made through the use of pottery in both branches. Some are listed below (courtesy of The American Ceramic Society):

Traditional Branches of Ceramics:

– Structural clay products such as bricks, sewer pipes, roof tiles

– Things like tableware or electric porcelain.

– Different types of glasses such as flat glass or container glass.

– Natural and Synthetic Diamonds

Advanced Branches of Ceramics:

– Automotive parts such as brakes, rotors or spark plugs

– Aerospace parts such as thermal insulation or satellite positioning equipment

– Optical pieces for dental and medical use.

– Optical parts for telecommunications.

Ceramic branches are really about the materials that are used to make things in our world. When you understand that these branches are the foundation of what the pottery will do, then you will be able to understand the different places it can be used.

Ceramics in Construction:

You will find some type of ceramic in all kinds of building materials. You’ll see it on floors, countertops, and fireplaces. You can see that many new homes have applied ceramic flooring for a new kind of cobblestone look. You will also see that ceramics are used for decoration around a fireplace to give color to a room.

Clay bricks are often used in areas where hurricanes or other natural disasters occur because they are very strong and can often withstand these elements when other building materials fail.

Ceramics in Aerospace:

Ceramic tile is widely used by the military and other government divisions because it is strong and lasts a long time. In fact, pottery has been used on the space shuttle.

The most common place ceramics are used is in airplanes and space shuttles because the fibers act as fire protectors and thermal insulation so ships don’t explode when engines heat up. Ceramic resists heat and is lightweight.

Another industry in which ceramics plays an important role is in sports. You’ll find them on race car brakes and on some golf clubs. With golf clubs it is a good putter because it is light and strong. Therefore, the average golfer can throw or abuse them and it will still help them make an even swing.

Ceramics and Electronics:

You probably know that ceramics have been used in many of your electronic equipment, from radios to GPS devices. They are used to do a variety of things within this computer. Many of the new laptops and PCs will have small ceramic transistors that will give them more speed and take up less space inside.

Ceramics in Medicine:

There are medical advances that are using ceramics. For example, cancer patients benefit from glass beads called TheraSpheresTM that are actually very small and become radioactive through a specific process. These are used to help people with liver cancer. They are inserted into the tumor to help shrink it and leave less damage than regular chemotherapy.