Book excerpt: Advanced ceramics cover a wide range of materials which are ceramic by nature but have been developed in response to specific requirements. This encyclopedia collects together 137 articles in order to provide an up-to-date account of the advanced ceramic field. Some articles are drawn from the acclaimed Encyclopedia of Materials Science and Engineering, often revised, and others have been newly commissioned. The Concise Encyclopedia of Advanced Ceramic Materials aims to provide a comprehensive selection of accessible articles which act as an authoritative guide to the subject. The format is designed to help the readers form opinions on a particular subject. Arranged alphabetically, with a broad subject range, the articles are diverse in character and style, thereby stimulating further discussion. Topics covered include survey articles on glass, hot pressing, insulators, powders, and many are concerned with specific chemical systems and their origins, processing and applications. The Concise Encyclopedia of Advanced Ceramic Materials will be invaluable to materials scientists, researchers, educators and industrialists working in technical ceramics.