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	Ceramics and Consumer Products
	Description Ceramics are important to everyone's daily lives. Their unique properties enable technology by making thousands of consumer products possible. Glass, for example, is one of the most basic ceramic materials. It is the only material that is transparent, resistant to heat and able to hold a vacuum inside all at the same time. Some gas appliances are now being made with hot surface ceramic igniters used to reduce energy consumption by eliminating the need for pilot lights. Other household applications for ceramics include scissors and knives. The blades of these cutting tools resist dulling because of the ceramic's hardness and wear resistance. Ceramics are ideal for tennis rackets, golf clubs and baseball bats because they absorb vibration and are lightweight. Because ceramics can be made to be thin, flat and chemically stable, the material is ideal for liquid crystal display screens used in travel televisions, dashboards, calculators, watches and clocks. The following individuals may be contacted regarding ceramic applications in consumer products.