Refractory inorganic nonmetallic material baked from clay and minerals at high temperatures describes which category?

• A. Ceramics
• B. Glass
• C. Composite
• D. GRP

Answer: (A)

Ceramics are inorganic nonmetallic materials formed from clay minerals and other natural powders, then fired in a kiln at high temperatures. That firing fuses the components and creates a hard, dense structure with excellent heat resistance, which is exactly what “refractory” implies. So the description of a material baked from clay and minerals at high temperatures aligns with ceramics.

Glass is also inorganic and nonmetallic, but it isn’t produced by firing clay minerals in the same way; it’s made by melting and then cooling items to form a non-crystalline, amorphous solid. Composites and GRP involve combining different materials, often with a polymer matrix, and aren’t defined by being clay-based fired ceramics.