The definition for ceramics is extremely broad. With such a wide range of materials being used, the closest deinition available is a refractory, inorganic & non-metallic material whose formation is due to the reaction of heat. The word 'ceramic' was derived from the Greek word 'keramos' meaning pottery. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) defines a ceramic article as "an article having a glazed or unglazed body of crystalline or partially crystalline structure, or of glass, whose body is produced from essentially inorganic, non-metallic substances and either is formed from a molten mass which solidifies on cooling, or is formed and simultaneously or subsequently matured by the action of heat." Therefore, ceramic materials display a wide range of properties and are used in many different product areas.