Mention ceramics and you tend to think of mankind’s earliest achievements, such as the cups and bowls dating back thousands of years that archeologists find at excavations. But ceramics are just as important in 21st century American life.
Yes, we still use them for traditional purposes such as to make cooking products and sanitaryware. But there are a whole host of modern day products that rely on ceramics, too. Here are a few examples.
Providing the spark to keep you going
Park a 2023 Ford Explorer alongside a 1923 Ford Model T and compare what you see under the hoods. 100 years of progress is quite awesome, and they look completely different. One of the few. Common components, however, is the spark plugs, which are almost identical.
Granted, they are not interchangeable, but conceptually, spark plugs have changed very little over the years. Just like the plugs in the Model T, today’s spark plugs use a metal core which is housed in a ceramic insulator, which is, in turn, surrounded by a metal casing.
The bottom of the plug is threaded to screw into the cylinder head, while the top is tapered for easy connection to the high tension leads. Cars have evolved, but fundamentally, an internal combustion engine uses a spark to ignite gasoline. The spark plugs are right at the center of the action
Firing up your CCELL vape
Here’s a genuine piece of 21st century technology. Vaping was only invented 20 years ago, and the first vapes relied on a cotton wick. These tended to burn and performed inconsistently.
About 10 years ago, a company called CCELL developed a new type of ceramic wick. CCELL’s vapes have become the US market leaders in a few short years thanks to their superior performance and fashionable design. But really, the difference is in that small piece of ceramic.
Fiber optic cable – it’s not just fiber
Fiber optics are among the technological wonders of the late 20th century. Fiber optic cable has paved the way to the super fast connectivity that we now take for granted in American homes and businesses.
Although the cable itself is made from silica, it would not be usable without the ferrules, waveguides, insulators and switches that are all made from ceramics. It is incredible that despite being technology that is thousands of years old, there is still no better material in terms of thermal stability, durability and corrosion resistance.
Flying to the moon
Ceramics are invaluable to America’s aerospace industry as they are lighter than metals, facilitating higher speeds and lower fuel consumption. They are used to provide electrical insulation to avoid electromagnetic interference between the crew and ground control.
Also, the main tiles and armor are made of ceramic due to it being heat resistant and strong enough to cope with bombardment from stones and meteorites. Its wear resistant properties make it the material of choice for friction components such as brakes and bearings, too.
A host of other applications
These are just a handful of ceramic’s 21st century applications. Others include renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines, healthcare such as replacement joints and teeth, and in scientific instrumentation and tools including telescopes and microscopes.
Humans created the first ceramics about 30,000 years ago. But we continue to find new applications for them to this day.