TEACHING CERAMICS

The number of course programmes is directly proportional to the demand made by trade and industry. Many factors have been of influence on this instruction, among others the Gibbs phase rule (see the chapter on Phase rule), X-ray diffraction to clarify the structure of solids and the development of synthetic barium titanate and other ceramic materials whose properties could be influenced by controlling composition and process conditions. As early as 1900 it became clear that the study of ceramics required much knowledge of other subjects, as appears from the Ohio State University s course programme of that year. 

Plane geometry - geometry, analysis, algebra, projective 

Physics (electricity, magnetism, light, sound, mechanics) 

In 1925 493 university graduates were already employed in the ceramic industry. By then the American Ceramic Society had been founded and it consisted of 7 departments art, enamel, glass, fireproof materials, whiteware, terra cotta and heavy clay. Unfortunately World War II caused a decrease in the number of students of ceramics. In order to postpone the conscription of ceramic engineers an attempt was made to have ceramic studies and ceramic engineering pronounced essential for the war, to no avail however. The fact that there was no good definition of ceramics was partly to blame for this failure. 

After the war the number of enrolments increased rapidly. In 1960 the transistor, space travel and the cold war with its demand for new materials exercised a clear influence on the studies. This even resulted in a new discipline materials science . It was clear at that time that materials should not be taught individually. Should this be considered as a first indication towards combining materials Did they already realise that composites would become increasingly important  

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Paul H.W. Bormans was born in 1945 in Hengelo, Netherlands. After his education in chemistry at the University of Nijmegen, Netherlands, he became a teacher at a school for laboratory personel. His extensive interest in natural sciences resulted in a number of books about mineralogy and the environment. In the years 1980-1985 he worked on the integration of natural sciences in his school. He started to teach ceramics at the department material technology of his school. The basis of his teaching materials is the scope of this book. 

Ceramics are More than Clay Alone 2.6 TEACHING CERAMICS... 

Which approach has been applied in writing this book As the author I was well aware of the fact that the book needed to be innovative. I teach ceramics and chemistry at an institute for senior secondary vocational training. At this school students are trained to be laboratory technicians, so I had in mind a book in which all aspects of ceramics would be discussed at precisely this level. In this way my book would be aimed at both interested lay persons and students of secondary vocational schools. In addition, there has been a trend to teach natural sciences cross-curricularly for some years now and this has created a void in which this book on ceramics fits nicely. 

J. J. Miller and D. L. Eppink, Teaching of Preformed Ceramic Cores, Sherwood Refractories, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, 1977. 

My spheres of interest and my disposition to teach natural sciences as a whole comprising of related subjects were my main inspirations for writing this book. An interest in ceramics and a readiness to gain more knowledge of other specialities are important prerequisites in order to successfully utilize it. 

Briggs, J., Processes for the Production of Technical Ceramics, Teaching Module for the EMMSE-West European Coordinating Committee supported by NATO Science Programs, Copyright 1981, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 1981. 

Dr. Lee teaches colloidal and surface science as well as general materials processing at Clemson University. He is also director of Nanofabritech. His current research activities are focused on chemical processing of ceramic and polymeric materials, paying particular attention to surface and interfacial chemistry. 

Patent filed by John L, Park, jr. of American Lava Corp., "Manufacture of Ceramics." Teaches continuous casting on impervious polymer carrier. 

Manufacturing Multilayered Monolithic Ceramic Bodies," U.S. Patent 3,192,086. Teaches the lamination procedure. 

Grover BL, Lamborn RE (1970) Preparation of porous ceramic cups to be used for soil extraction of soil water having low solute concentrations. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 34 706-708 Harborne JB (1982) Introduction to ecological biochemistry. Academic Press, London Heckman JR, Strick JE (1996) Teaching plant-soil relationships with color images of rhizosphere pH. J Nat Resour life Sd Educ 25 13-17... 

This book is the result of my intention to produce a book containing all aspects of ceramics and refractories. To date, I have had to refer to more than two books to teach the course "Ceramics and Refractories" to my undergraduate students. In addition. Dr. Gagandeep Singh of the Taylor and Francis Group happened to contact me when I was thinking of writing such a book. 

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