Ceramics is a term that describes inorganic non metallic materials, the formation of which is due to heat. The most important of these, until the 1950’s included clays made into pottery, bricks, tiles etc. cement and glass.
The word ceramic can be traced back to Greek origins, the word "keramos" relating to potter or pottery, and in turn an older Sanskirt word meaning to burn stuff when referring to products made from the action of fire on to earthy materials. Ceramics can be defined as inorganic, non metallic materials.
In building industrial ceramic segments play an important part, such as bricks, sewers pipes, flue linings.
Whitewares include dinner ware, floor and wall tiles, sanitary ware, electrical porcelain and decorative ceramics.
The above names but a few uses of the material, there are many others, used in industry, all of which has had an impact on society over the years. The construction industry relies heavily of products made from ceramics, as indeed does the manufacture of electrical devices, from light bulbs to appliances. Glass optic fibres have been a major breakthrough in telecommunications, carrying information at a speed and volume not previously consider possible.
In the medical world, ceramics plays an important part. Not just for its use in dentistry, but the part ceramics plays in the modern diagnostic equipment found in hospitals.
Not forgetting the environmental and space research uses of this material, the list of which increases daily.
Human made ceramics date back to at least 24,000BC, remains of which were discovered by archaeologists in Czechoslovakia in the form of human and animal figurines, slabs and balls. These ceramics were made of animal fat and bone, mixed with bone ash and a fine clay like material. After sculpting the ceramics were fired at temperatures between 500-800c in domes, horseshoe shaped kilns, that were partially dug into the ground and had loose walls. Clearly these particular items were more for decoration. More functional remains were later found that dated from 9000BC are more likely to be containers for foods and grain.
Within the interior design field it would indeed be difficult to complete any scheme without ceramics, either for practical uses, or as part of a complicated interior scheme
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Information on ceramics
Bathrooms
Ceramic tiles
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