keramikkia

Keramikkia, in Finnish, refers to ceramics—the art and science of making objects from inorganic, non-metallic materials through shaping and firing. The field encompasses traditional pottery and tiles as well as advanced ceramic materials used in engineering, medicine, and electronics.

Common raw materials include clays (such as kaolinite), feldspars, and silica; these are refined, mixed with water, and formed by hand-building, wheel throwing, slip casting, pressing, or injection molding. The formed pieces are dried to remove moisture and then fired in kilns at high temperatures. Glazes and surface decorations may be applied before or after firing to create glassy coatings and color.

Traditional ceramics include earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain; advanced ceramics refer to engineered materials such as alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and zirconia that exhibit high hardness, high-temperature stability, and electrical insulation. Ceramics are typically hard and resistant to wear and heat but tend to be brittle and sensitive to tensile stress.

Ceramics have been produced for thousands of years by cultures around the world, from pottery and bricks to tiles and ceremonial vessels. Today, ceramic materials are used in construction (tiles, bricks, refractories), household goods, industrial components (bearings, cutting tools), biomedical implants, electronics (dielectrics, substrates), and aerospace and defense applications.