Ceramics (GCSE Chemistry)

Ceramics

Ceramics and Glass

Glass

  • Glass is a ceramic. Glass is a brittle ceramic. This means that it is a non metal, with a high melting point.
  • Soda-lime glass is a mixture. Soda-lime glass is what we use as an everyday glass. This is a mixture of sand, sodium carbonate and limestone heated up together, at high temperature.
  • Uses of soda-lime glass. This type of glass melts at relatively low temperature and is used for storing cold liquids.
  • Borosilicate glass melts at a higher temperature. Boron trioxide and sand are heated to form borosilicate glass. This melts at a higher temperature than soda-lime glass.
  • Uses of borosilicate glass. This is used where high temperatures are  needed for example in distillation columns, flashlights, microwave glass, chemical laboratories, beakers, and heating lamps.

Clay Ceramics

  • Clay ceramics are ceramics. Clay ceramics are hard ceramics. Like glass ceramics, this means that they are non metals, with a high melting point.
  • Clay ceramics are made from wet clay. In order to form clay ceramics, soft clay from the ground is shaped and then heated in a furnace. This means that the soft clay will harden into a clay ceramic.
  • Uses of clay ceramics. Uses include pottery and bricks.
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