Welcome to our annual look at key raw and manufactured materials used in the ceramic, glass, refractories, brick, and related industries. Here you’ll find production and import/export information, as well as details regarding applications and future trends.

Our annual Materials Handbook is a raw/manufactured materials reference and buyers’ resource that provides product definitions and application/use information, along with supplier* details. Use this guide as a reference tool and a handy way to find suppliers throughout the year.

This weekly roundup highlights the ceramic, glass, refractories, brick and related news stories that garnered the most attention during the previous week.

This weekly roundup highlights the ceramic, glass, refractories, brick and related news stories that garnered the most attention during the previous week.

This weekly roundup highlights the ceramic, glass, refractories, brick and related news stories that garnered the most attention during the previous week.

The American Ceramic Society’s (ACerS) International Conference and Expo on Advanced Ceramics and Composites (ICACC) will be held January 22-27 at the Hilton Daytona Beach Resort and Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. Members of the industry will see the latest research and products in advanced ceramics, fuel cells, ceramic coatings, bio-ceramics, and more.

Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2, also known as zirconia) is a versatile material in the ceramic industry, serving many uses due to its high hardness, chemical resistance, and unique electronic and optical properties. Compared to other ceramics, zirconia has higher compressive and flexural strength. These features are desirable for the foundry, refractories and electronics industries, among others, with a diverse set of end uses.

Product development is a process that has applications beyond just the production of goods. While we traditionally think of product development in association with something tangible, the process can equally be applied to software, service industries, and even to government.

Once the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issues a Final Rejection, a patent applicant is faced with an important decision regarding what to do next. Options include: filing a Notice of Appeal, filing a Request for Continued Examination (RCE), filing an after final response or amendment, or abandoning the application.

High-performance ceramics have been key for delivering multiple benefits in challenging and hostile environments. Unique characteristics such as light weight, high hardness, corrosion resistance, and high melting points have made ceramics the materials of choice in nuclear, defense, aerospace, and industrial applications, among others.