The art of ceramics is indeed known as a traditional craft from the classical period, but as a distinct science and technology, it developed during the second half of the 20th century, and today holds a prominent position in the field of Materials Science.

However, traditional silicate ceramics are inherently subject to certain limitations, resulting from the structure of silicates, strong transformations in the solid state, and, most importantly, the presence of the liquid phase. These ceramics could not meet the demands of the rapid technological advancements of recent decades.

This necessitated the search for upgraded ceramic materials that would overcome these limitations and have, for example, exceptionally high mechanical strengths, very refractory properties, electrical properties, or biocompatibility, etc. This upgrade led to the development of a distinct direction in Ceramic Science and Technology, that of Advanced Technology Ceramics.

This text aims to approach the upgrading of ceramic materials. It does so by presenting a wealth of documented scientific and technological information, which aspires to provide the necessary knowledge and resources that form a broad and solid foundation upon which further developments can be built.