Stephen J. Lombardo

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of MissourUColumbia, Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A. 

This entry will be divided into sections covering the classification of ceramics, a brief history of ceramics, raw materials for ceramics, properties and applications of ceramics, processing of ceramics, and a brief commentary on future trends. The field of ceramics is very broad and encompasses not only well-known, conventionally used materials and technology but also much newer compositions, processing methods, and applications. More detailed information on all of these sections is available in printed format and on the web.[ °- l 

ceramic materials find widespread applications in both the consumer and industrial market segments. In the home, ceramics are commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms and for decoration and ornamentation. As construction materials, ceramics are widely used as bricks, tiles, and concrete sidewalks. 

In addition to their role as teehnology enablers, ceramic components find widespread use today in elee-tronics, wireless communications, fiber optie eables, lasers, digital data storage, and eapaeitors. Emerging technologies in which ceramics play a key role inelude 

Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing DOI 10.1081/E-ECHP-120007696 Copyright 2006 by Taylor Francis. All rights reserved. 

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