Glasses A glass is an inorganic nonmetallic material that does not have a crystalline structure. Such materials are said to be amorphous. Examples of glasses range from the soda-lime silicate glass in soda bottles to the extremely high purity silica glass in optical fibers . Inc. All rights reserved. Properties of Ceramics and Glasses Some of the useful properties of ceramics and glasses include high melting temperature, low density, high strength, stiffness, hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.
Many ceramics are good electrical and thermal insulators.
For years, ceramic materials were only useful in the making of pottery and other artwork. This was a result of their brittleness and difficulty of manufacturing. However, people's demands for microelectronics and structural composite components have created a high demand for ceramics. Silicon, a semiconductor but also a ceramic material, has been THE material which has made computers possible. Ceramic fibers such as graphite and aluminum oxide with their extremely high stiffness have led to the production of fiber-reinforced composites .