Ceramic chemistry


Ceramic chemistry studies the relationship between the physical properties of fired ceramics and ceramic glazes and their chemistry. Although ceramic technicians have long understood many of these relationships, the advent of computer software to automate the conversion from batch to formula and analysis has brought this science within the reach of many more people. Physical properties of glazes in fired products are directly related to the chemistry. Properties of glass melts like viscosity and surface tension are also principally products of chemistry.
Technicians in the ceramic tile, tableware, artware, pottery, sanitaryware, glass, fiberglass, bottle glass, optical and related industries all use this science.
In ceramic chemistry, fired glazes are viewed as composed of oxides. Each oxide is known to contribute specific properties to the fired glass. Many materials suppliers publish chemical analyses of their products that cite percentages of these oxides as well as volatile components.
For example, in traditional ceramics here are some examples of what the application of ceramic chemistry can accomplish.
In ceramic bodies the physical properties of the final fired product are often more related to the firing curve, the physical properties of the ingredient materials and the mineralogy and interaction between the different particle types.