prEN 12212

Advanced technical ceramics - Unified method for classification

Scope

This European standard describes a scheme by which advanced technical ceramics may be classified. The scheme has been devised to cover all types of advanced technical ceramic in the forms of inorganic precursors for ceramic powder production, powders, granular forms, fibres, whiskers, platelets, single crystals, consolidated polycrystalline ceramics, amorphous (glassy) and composite materials and components in block, thin film and coating forms. The structure of the classification is coded to be machine readable.

The classification does not cover:
- elemental carbon, except for specific ceramic forms such as diamond, vitreous carbon or chemical vapour deposited (CVD) graphite;

- elemental silicon, other than when it forms an integral component of or precursor for an advanced technical ceramic;

- elemental germanium and other elemental or compound semi-metallic substances;

- traditional ceramics based on clay, including:
- whitewares (e.g. tableware and fine porcelain);
- sanitary wares;
- floor and wall tiles;
- building ceramics (e.g. bricks and pipes);

- unshaped and shaped refractories for tonnage applications.

This standard does not specifically cover hardmetal (cemented carbide) products or products which are mainly glassy, but the scheme can in principle be extended to cover such products.

Its mode of use will be determined by the objective behind its use. It is not the purpose of this standard to define how the scheme shall be used, but examples are given of how it might be used. The use is able to define the coding combination and the level of detail to suit his/her particular purpose. This standard provides only a flexible framework within which this might be done.