Book excerpt: Ceramic powder synthesis and processing are two of the most important technologies in chemical engineering and the ceramics-related area of materials science. This book covers both the processing and the synthesis ofceramic powders in great depth and is indeed the only up-to-date, comprehensive source on the subject available.The application of modern scientific and engineering methods to the field of ceramic powder synthesis has resulted in much greater control of properties. Fundamentals of Ceramic Powder Processing and Synthesis presents examples of these modern methods as they apply to ceramic powders. The book is organized to describe the natural and synthetic raw materials that comprise contemporary ceramics. It covers the three reactant processes used in synthetic ceramic powder synthesis: solid, liquid, andgas.Ceramic powder processing, as a field of materials processing, is undergoing rapid expansion. The present volume is intended as a complete and useful source on this subject of great current interest. It provides comprehensive coverage from a strong chemistry and chemical engineering perspective and is especially applicable to materials scientists, chemical engineers, and applied chemists.Key Features* The most complete and updated reference source on the subject* Comprehensive coverage from a stron chemical engineering and chemistry perspective* Emphasis on both natural and synthetic raw materials in ceramic powder synthesis* Information on reaction kinetics* Superior, more comprehensive coverage than that in existing texts* Sample problems and exercises* Problems at the end of each chapter which supplement the material