Usually, what we call ceramics is actually two different materials. Some friends might just think that ceramic is rough and has no glaze on the surface, while porcelain is porcelain with a smooth glass glaze on the surface.

In fact, this understanding is one-sided. In layman's terms, utensils fired from clay are called pottery, utensils fired from china clay are called chinaware, and pottery is the general term for pottery and porcelain.

What is the difference between ceramic and porcelain?

1. Various firing temperatures

The firing temperature of ceramics is lower than that of porcelain, the lowest even reaching below 850°C, while the highest can reach around 1150°C.

The firing temperature of porcelain is relatively high, mostly above 1250°C, and some even reach around 1380°C.

Secondly, the degree of hardness is different

The firing temperature of ceramics is low, the raw body is not completely sintered, a sound is heard when tapping, the carcass hardness is relatively low, some grooves can be scratched with a steel knife.

The firing temperature of porcelain is high, the frame is mostly sintered, the tapping sound is clear. It is difficult to draw grooves on the surface of the frame with an ordinary steel knife.

3. Use other raw materials

Ceramics can be made and fired from ordinary clay, while for porcelain you need to choose certain materials. If the firing temperature is at the temperature level required for pottery, it can be called pottery.

Porcelain clay turns into porcelain at the temperature needed to fire the porcelain.

However, when a clay body made of ceramic is usually fired to 1200°C, it cannot become porcelain and will be fused to glass.

Fourthly, transparency is different

Even if the pottery body is relatively thin, it is not transparent.

The porcelain frame is transparent regardless of thickness.

5. Various glazes

There are two types of pottery: unglazed pottery and glazed pottery. Glaze for glazed ceramics can be melted at a lower firing temperature.

There are two types of glaze materials for porcelain, which can be fired with the frame at high temperature once, or coated with low temperature tire glaze with high temperature uncoated firing and fired at low temperature for the second time.