porcelain

Porcelain is a ceramic material characterized by a white, high-strength, vitreous body that is fired at high temperatures to become non-porous and translucent in thin sections. It is traditionally made from a body dominated by kaolin, mixed with silica and feldspar.

Hard-paste porcelain, developed in China by the 7th–9th centuries and refined in the Song and Yuan periods, is fired at about 1200–1400°C. Soft-paste porcelain, invented in Europe in the 18th century, uses a glassy frit and lower firing, resulting in a less durable but similar appearance. Bone china, developed in the early 19th century in Britain, includes bone ash and is known for its whiteness and translucency.

Historically, porcelain originated in China, particularly Jingdezhen, and was later exported to the West where manufacturers such as Meissen, Sèvres, and Wedgwood established European hard-paste and bone-china wares.

Manufacture involves refining kaolin, quartz, and feldspar into a homogeneous slip or body, forming by wheel throwing, slip casting, or pressing, drying, applying glaze, and high-temperature firing. The glaze and vitrification yield a dense, non-porous material with a smooth, often translucent surface.

Porcelain is used for dinnerware, figurines, tiles, and dental materials; it also plays a role in industrial and biomedical applications. Its properties—high strength-to-weight ratio, whiteness, translucency, and chemical inertness—make it valued for both functional and decorative objects.