ceramics and composites

what are ceramics?

non-metal solids that have a high melting point

how is soda lime glass created?

sodium carbonate + limestone + sand is heated until it melts

what is the issue of soda lime glass?

has a relatively low melting point

what is a type of glass that has a higher melting point than soda-lime glass?

borosilicate glass

what is borosilicate glass made of?

boron trioxide and sand

what can borosilicate glass be used for?

kitchenware and labware that is meant to be heated

what is clay? what can you do with it?

a soft material dug up from the earth that can be moulded into different shapes when wet, but after firing at a high temperature, hardens into a clay ceramic

what is the benefit of clay ceramics?

very strong, so can be used as bricks that can withstand high pressure

what are composites?

materials made up of two different materials - consists of fibre (reinforcement) and then surrounded by a binding material

what is the benefit of composites?

you can combine different properties of materials to get more benefits

examples of composites?

reinforced concrete

carbon fibre