Ceramics exist as various
classes of compounds:
silicates (SiO2+MxOy) eg. clay bricks
aluminates (Al2O3 + MxOy)
eg. Al2O3+ZrO2 surgical implants, hip joints
oxides(MxOy), carbides(MxCy),nitrides(MxNy)
Composites are complex
mixtures of 2 or more materials.
• Alumina reinforced with SiC
whiskers is used
to cut &
machine Fe/Ni alloys. SiC is
usually called carborundum.
and is a network covalent solid.