DAVID W. RICHERSON, MS, is a leading expert in the field of ceramics. He was an early pioneer in the development of high-strength silicon nitride, introducing grain boundary engineering and the use of fracture surface analysis to improve materials. His experience spans academia and private industry as well as his own consulting firm. Mr. Richerson currently teaches at the University of Utah and is the Manager of Minerals for the Natural History Museum of Utah. He continues an active schedule of outreach, bringing science and technology to elementary and high school students.

• Preface & Acknowledgments for the First Edition viiPreface & Acknowledgments for the Second Edition ixForeword to the First Edition, by Bonnie J. Dunbar, Ph.D. xiIntroduction xiii1 Our Constant Companions 22 From Pottery to the Space Shuttle 143 The Beauty of Ceramics 344 Ceramics and Light 565 Amazing Strength 806 Ceramics and the Electronics Age 1087 Piezo Power 1328 Medical Miracles 1489 Ceramics and the Modern Automobile 17010 Heat Beaters 18611 The Hardest Materials in the Universe 20812 Energy Conservation and Conversion Efficiency 22813 From Pollution Control to Zero Pollution 25214 What’s New and What’s Coming 270Conclusion 291

“It would be of interest to someone who wants to learn about the history of ceramics, and get a basic understanding of the unique properties that ceramics possess, in an easy and fun way.”  (IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, 1 September 2013