Despite their unassuming appearances, glass and ceramics find their way into a myriad of high-tech products used across various industries. The applications of these materials span from everyday items like window glass and decorative ceramics to advanced, high-performance materials that bear little resemblance to their original forms.

High-performance ceramics, often referred to as engineering ceramics, occupy a unique niche where other materials reach their limitations. These ceramics are employed in diverse scenarios, ranging from handling immense loads and extreme temperatures to serving as crucial components in power systems or even as implants within the human body. Remarkably, ceramics can also be found in everyday kitchenware, such as ceramic pans or microwave-safe dishes, where they are typically coated with glaze to provide a glassy, impermeable surface over the crystalline, porous base material.

Glass, too, has transcended its traditional uses and is now gaining popularity in a wide array of applications. It is no longer confined to just drinking glasses but is employed in safety glass, glass-ceramic cooktops, and the production of fiber-optic cables. Glass serves as a natural choice for packaging, and it finds its place in water cookers, optical elements for astronomy, and even space travel.