Ceramics (Essay Sample)

Ceramics
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Ceramics
Ceramic, one of the paramount antediluvian engineering inventions, is common in almost every contemporary household. The material is non-metallic, and its chemical composition consists of only inorganic amalgams. The use of ceramics ranges from utensils such as cups and plates to tiles that find their application in the building and construction industry. In addition, car manufacturers also utilize ceramics in the fabrication of engines by including spark plugs that aid in the ignition of fuel in combustion cylinders. Some modern ceramics encompass refractory ceramics such as alumina and silica, superconductive ceramics, piezoelectric, abrasive ceramics, and electro-optics.
The main production process of ceramics includes mixing of earthen elements, water, clay, and powders. The assortment is then molded into a shape that conforms to the part on which it will be used. The mixture then passes into a kiln where it undergoes heating to harden it. There is also the addition of glazes to the outer surface of the ceramic to give it a waterproof property. Experiments on ceramics have shown that the materials have high Young’s Modulus and melting points. This is because strong bonds such as covalent and ionic hold the compounds together. In addition, the materials do not have directional bonds, which ensures that their thermal and electrical conductivity is very low. Moreover, findings have shown that ceramics have one of the best temperature and chemical stability.
Ceramics have several advantages attributed to their properties. Materials such as alumina and silica are applicable in areas that need very high temperatures. This is because they have Hexagonal Close-Packed (HCP) and Face Centered Cubic (FCC) crystal structures, which require very high thermal activation energy for void initiation and growth. This makes it possible to use ceramics in high-temperature situations such as spark plugs in car engines, but below the one required for dislocation movements. Another advantage of ceramics is that they are poor thermal and electric conductors due to the absence of directional bonds, which makes them worthwhile as insulators. Ceramics are also resistant to corrosion since they are chemically inert. They are essential in forming parts of tools used in chemical processing industries.
One of the demerits of ceramics is that they are brittle and fail abruptly. For example, nickel oxide and calcium oxide have a Face Centered Cubic structure with a close-packed crystal system. Therefore, the material requires a high activation energy for void initiation and growth that will lead to dislocation movements and an abrupt failure. Additionally, ceramics exhibit poor resistance to shock and will fail (break) due to a small shock. This may bring superfluous financial costs for replacements. Another drawback of ceramics is their inability to withstand tensile stresses. The materials will immediately fail when subjected to tensile stresses, which calls for a lot of caution when operating or working with ceramics.
In conclusion, ceramics remain elemental in the ...