Magic of Ceramics 2E - 2nd Edition by David W Richerson (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Most people would be surprised at how ceramics are used, from creating cellular phones, radio, television, and lasers to its role in medicine for cancer treatments and restoring hearing. The Magic of Ceramics introduces the nontechnical reader to the many exciting applications of ceramics, describing how ceramic material functions, while teaching key scientific concepts like atomic structure, color, and the electromagnetic spectrum. With many illustrations from corporations on the ways in which ceramics make advanced products possible, the Second Edition also addresses the newest areas in ceramics, such as nanotechnology.

From the Back Cover

There's so much you probably don't know about ceramics...

Ceramics are amazing materials! Without ceramics, we wouldn't have television, laptop computers, wireless communications, the Internet, computer-generated movie scenes, the Space Shuttle, or even cars. Reading this book, you'll discover not only some of the magic that ceramics can do, you'll also come to understand the fascinating science that makes that magic happen.

You'll learn how ceramics interact with light to make lasers possible; how ceramics that are stronger than steel can be used for bulletproof armor; how magnetic ceramics played a key role in building the first computers; and how a new field of bioceramics has recently emerged, promising new medical breakthroughs.

This Second Edition of The Magic of Ceramics brings the book fully up to date with new developments in the field, such as major advances in pollution control, energy harvesting and conversion, digital electronics, medicine, and nanotechnology. Be sure to read the final chapter, which not only discusses the most recent breakthroughs in ceramics, but also provides a glimpse into its future.

Did you know?

• Ceramics can be so strong that a one-inch diameter ceramic cable can lift fifty cars
• Some ceramics conduct electricity better than metals
• Ceramic automotive emission control systems have reduced pollution by billions of tons
• The key to treating liver cancer may be ceramics
• Ceramic fiberglass house insulation has saved more than 30 quadrillion BTUs of heat

Look inside the book and discover even more incredible things you probably never realized that ceramics could do.

Review Quotes

"It would be of interest to someone who wants to learn about the history of ceramics, and get a basic understanding of the unique properties that ceramics possess, in an easy and fun way." (IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, 1 September 2013

About the Author

DAVID W. RICHERSON, MS, is a leading expert in the field of ceramics. He was an early pioneer in the development of high-strength silicon nitride, introducing grain boundary engineering and the use of fracture surface analysis to improve materials. His experience spans academia and private industry as well as his own consulting firm. Mr. Richerson currently teaches at the University of Utah and is the Manager of Minerals for the Natural History Museum of Utah. He continues an active schedule of outreach, bringing science and technology to elementary and high school students.