What Are Ceramics?
The term "ceramics" originates from the Greek word keramos, meaning "potter's clay." Today, ceramics encompass a broad spectrum of materials ranging from traditional pottery to high-performance engineering ceramics. Formed by mixing clay, earthy materials, and water, ceramics are shaped and heated at high temperatures to achieve their characteristic hardness, durability, and resistance to heat and chemicals.
Key Ingredients of Ceramics:
Properties of Ceramics
Challenges:
While ceramics are celebrated for their strength and durability, their brittleness and low tensile strength can limit their applications in dynamic environments. Advanced processing methods are often required to overcome these challenges.
Types of Ceramics
Traditional Ceramics:
These include earthenware, porcelain, and vitrified tiles. Commonly made from clay minerals, feldspar, and silica, traditional ceramics are widely used in construction, pottery, and household items.
 |
 |
Advanced Ceramics:
Engineered for specific applications, these materials exhibit enhanced properties:
|
Alumina |
Zirconia |
Silicon Carbide |
Silicon Nitride |
Bioceramics:
These materials, such as hydroxyapatite and zirconia, are used in medical implants and tissue engineering due to their biocompatibility and non-toxic properties.
Piezoelectric Ceramics:
Specialized ceramics like lead zirconate titanate (PZT) are used in sensors, actuators, and ultrasonic devices for their ability to convert mechanical stress into electrical signals.
Applications of Ceramics
ISO Standards for Ceramics
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed specific standards under the ICS 81.060 series to ensure the quality and consistency of ceramics in various industries. These include testing methods, raw material standards, and advanced ceramic classifications, catering to both traditional and high-tech applications.
Advantages of Ceramics
Limitations of Ceramics
By integrating advanced materials and innovative techniques, ceramics continue to revolutionize industries ranging from healthcare to aerospace. Their versatility and reliability make them indispensable, promising a future of sustainable and efficient applications.
The News 10/11/2025
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of urban life, many Vietnamese families are looking for a different living space – where they can enjoy modernity without being far from nature. Tropical Modern villa architecture is the perfect answer to this need. Not only an aesthetic trend, this is also a smart design philosophy, harmoniously combining technology, local materials and Vietnam's typical tropical climate.
The News 25/10/2025
Hemp-lime (hempcrete) is a non-load-bearing covering material consisting of a hemp wood core (hemp shiv/hurd) combined with a lime-based adhesive, outstanding for its insulation – moisture conditioning – indoor environmental durability; in particular, IRC 2024 – Appendix BL has established a normative line applicable to low-rise housing, strengthening the technical-legal feasibility of this biomaterial.
The News 11/10/2025
Amid rapid urbanization and global climate change, architecture is not only construction but also the art of harmonizing people, the environment, and technology. The Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC)—the iconic twin towers in Manama, Bahrain—is a vivid testament to this fusion. Completed in 2008, BWTC is not only the tallest building in Bahrain (240 meters) but also the first building in the world to integrate wind turbines into its primary structure, supplying renewable energy to itself [1]. This article explores the BWTC’s structural system and design principles, examining how it overcomes the challenges of a desert environment to become a convincing sustainable model for future cities. Through an academic lens, we will see that BWTC is not merely a building but a declaration of architectural creativity.
The News 04/10/2025
As buildings move toward net zero architecture and glare free daylighting, traditional glass façades reveal limitations: high thermal conductivity (~0.9–1.0 W/m·K), susceptibility to glare, and shattering on impact. In this context, transparent wood (TW) is emerging as a multifunctional bio based material: it offers high light transmission yet strong diffusion (high haze) to prevent glare, lower thermal conductivity than glass, and tough, non shattering failure. Recent reviews in Energy & Buildings (2025) and Cellulose (2023) regard TW as a candidate for next generation windows and skylights in energy efficient buildings. [1]
The News 27/09/2025
Urban flooding is one of the greatest challenges of the modern era, when sudden and unpredictable rainstorms can paralyze entire cities. Few would imagine that over a thousand years ago, people had already discovered a sustainable solution: the Fushougou drainage system in the ancient city of Ganzhou, Jiangxi. Built during the Northern Song dynasty, this project remains effective to this day, protecting the city from floods—even during historic deluges. The story of Fushougou is not only a testament to ancient engineering but also a valuable reference for today’s cities seeking answers to water and flooding problems.
The News 20/09/2025
The construction industry is currently facing immense pressure to reduce carbon emissions, as concrete is not only one of the most widely used materials but also a major source of CO₂ due to its reliance on Portland cement. In response, Shimizu Corporation has conducted extensive research to develop sustainable material solutions aimed at achieving carbon neutrality. One of the most remarkable outcomes is carbon-negative concrete, which partially replaces cement and aggregates with biochar. This biochar is produced from sawdust through a carbonization process and has the unique ability to retain a significant amount of carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere through natural decomposition or combustion. Thanks to this property, carbon-negative concrete not only maintains the necessary mechanical strength for construction but also directly contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This innovation is considered a promising step that opens new directions for the advancement of green construction in Japan and worldwide.
Members
