Differences Between Porcelain and Ceramic
Porcelain is a porcelain material typically made by heating volcanic materials, typically including a calcite-like material such as kaolin, at a high temperature above 1,000 °C to high heats. The strength, translucency, chemical stability, and hardness of porcelain make it desirable for use in a variety of applications. However porcelain has also been found to be susceptible to cracking at the low temperatures, which makes it breakable. Cracking can affect the aesthetic quality of products made from porcelain and has the potential to damage the surface of glazed or unglazed ceramic items. Porcelain ceramics are also vulnerable to thermal shock, especially when exposed to extremely hot temperatures, which can cause cracking and chipping.
The high porosity of porcelain means that small gaps or ‘cracks’ can form in the material, which can make it vulnerable to pressures. Cracks can appear either on top or back of a porcelain item, or behind it. The most common form of crack is what is called a ‘teardrop’ crack, caused by a sudden upwards pressure within the material. These can appear either inside a piece of porcelain or on its surface. If the crack propagates then this will lead to a breach in the ceramic wall and this will need to be repaired before the piece can be re-used.
Other porcelain tile cracks may be the result of improper grout installation. Grout is an absorbent substance and because it is not designed to be permeable to large pressures, it is particularly susceptible to small changes in pressure. If grout has too much pressure in one direction at the time of its installation then it can develop what is called ‘cavity’ or ‘gully’ pockets, which can lead to dampness, moulds and mildew developing in the area. Cavity or gully holes can be rectified using a variety of materials including natural stone grouts.
The Main Differences Between Porcelain and Ceramic
Another main difference between porcelain and stoneware is in the porcelain’s absorption rate. Stoneware is far more absorbent than porcelain and its absorption level can remain over one hundred percent for a considerably longer period of time than porcelain. In addition, stoneware is also relatively slower to release its energy and so it uses more energy over the same period of time. This means that stoneware is better suited to use as a hot plate and is better able to absorb heat quickly. It is for this reason that stoneware is often used as cooking vessels.
Finally, stoneware and porcelain are both very susceptible to thermal shock, meaning that they can both suffer if placed in an area where there is high temperature. This is why porcelain has historically been used for tableware, while stoneware has often been used as cooking vessels. As a result of the differences in porosity, stoneware is more likely to crack whilst ceramic can survive easily under high temperatures. The thickness of porcelain plates will however suffer more wear than stoneware due to the higher thermal mass of the plates.
As you can see from the main differences between porcelain and ceramic, they are very different products. Although they are both highly durable, porcelain still holds a slight edge on its durability factor. However, porcelain does have some major advantages over its ceramic counterparts. These include the ability to be painted and decorated, it is more absorbent, being easily sanitised and making a suitable vessel for food preparation.