Glass, Ceramics and Composites

• Glass is a non-crystalline solid
• Soda lime glass is made by heating a mixture of sand , sodium carbonate and limestone - It is used a window glass
• Borosilicate glass or Pyrex is made by heating sand and boron trioxide to a higher temperature than used for producing soda-lime glass - It is used to make chemical glassware , cooking equipment and car headlights
• Pottery and bricks are clay ceramics - They are made by shaping wet clay and then heating them in a furnace - In the furnace , water is removed and chemical reactions take place that make the object retain its shape and become harder and stronger
• Composite materials consist of two materials with different properties - The materials are combined together to produce a material that has its own improved properties