The difference between ceramic teaware and porcelain teaware

Varied of Teaware With Different Material

The common teawares on the market are made of various materials, such as ceramic, porcelain, glass, plastic, etc., among which ceramic and porcelain are the most common. Ceramic teaware is popular in eastern countries, while in Europe porcelain teaware is popular.

Contents

The common point between ceramic teaware and porcelain teaware

The ceramic teaware is an important invention in the Neolithic age. It started as rough clay ceramic, then evolved into a more solid hard ceramic, and at the end developed into glazed ceramic.

Ceramic Teapots

Ancient ancestors invented ceramic and porcelain based on analyzing the properties of different clay and summarizing their experience in the process of long-term firing. Therefore, ceramic and porcelain have many similarities:
1.    They are all made from malleable clay that has been burned at high temperatures.
2.    From the selection of raw materials, screening and refining, processing mud making, casting and forming, to kiln roasting and other production processes, the two are the same.
3.    They are all objects of daily use and decoration

Europe Style Porcelain Teaware

Despite the close connection between ceramic and porcelain, there are also essential differences as follows:

1.    Ceramic came before porcelain.

Ceramic began to be made in primitive societies, while porcelain products appeared in the first century AD. Earthenware and porcelain use different raw materials of clay. Earthenware takes clay, which is widely existed in nature, as the raw material of clay. Porcelain is made of a rock-like mineral such as porcelain stone or kaolin, and it will be stronger after made.

2.    Earthenware and porcelain use different glazes.

Ceramic usually does not glaze or use metal lead as a fluxing agent low-temperature glaze, after burning water absorption, strong air permeability, surface hardness is poor; Porcelain is mainly made of high-temperature glaze with oxidant as flux. After firing, the glass has a firm texture, surface densification, strength, and hardness are much improved, and water absorption is weak.

Ceramic Teaware

3.    Ceramic and porcelain are sintered at different temperatures.

Ceramic can be divided into low-temperature ceramic and high-temperature ceramic. The sintering temperature of low-temperature ceramic is below 1000℃, while that of high-temperature ceramic is generally between 1000℃ and 1100℃. Porcelain needs to be sintered at a high temperature, usually between 1200℃ and 1400℃.

4.    Ceramic and porcelain have different characteristics.

Influenced by the firing temperature, the ceramic preform body is divided into two types: incomplete sintering or complete sintering. The preformed body of porcelain is sintered, so its strength is generally higher than that of ceramic, and it has light transmittance.
Generally speaking, purple clay ware also belongs to the ceramic category, but generally, because of its unique position in the teaware field, it is usually classified into a single category.

Porcelain Teacup And Saucer

Modern ceramic teawares are popular with the public, because of their natural and straightforward shape, convenient firing, comprehensive source, and low price. Especially in some indigenous tribes, it is still in widespread use.