Early ceramic compounds were based on bismuth.

Recently discovered ceramic compounds become superconducting at temperatures that can be achieved with relatively cheap liquid nitrogen, instead of colder, more expensive liquid helium.

Three years ago scientists discovered the first such high-temperature superconductors - ceramic compounds in which copper oxide is the main component.

A green body refers to a ceramic compound, usually clay or powder, before it has been fired.

Ferrites are ceramic compounds of the transition metals with oxygen, which are ferromagnetic but nonconductive.

For example, porcelain is widely used to make electrical insulators, but some ceramic compounds are superconductors.

Three years ago, several ceramic compounds were found to work as high-temperature superconductors, conducting electricity without loss to resistance.

They can offer significant performance benefits due to the low thermal conductivity of the ceramic compound.

The new pump bearings, for instance, are made of a high-tech ceramic compound, which is 30 percent harder and 40 percent lighter than steel.

These are often a mixture of several ceramic materials, or metal matrix composites which combine ceramic compounds with metal.