Ceramics are refractory, inorganic, and non-metallic materials. They can be divided into two classes: traditional and advanced. Traditional ceramics include clay products, silicate glass and cement, while advanced ceramics consist of carbides (SiC), pure oxides (Al2O3), nitrides (Si3N4), non-silicate glasses and many others. Ceramics offer many advantages compared to other materials. They are harder and stiffer than steel, more heat and corrosion resistant than metals or polymers, less dense than most metals and their alloys, and their raw materials are both plentiful and inexpensive. Ceramic materials display a wide range of properties which facilitate their use in many different product areas. This new book presents leading-edge research in this field from around the world.