I am a little boy whose name is alumina, having a historical family starting at about 100 years ago at 1914 [1] , and my family takes an essential part in ceramic material industry for the competitive price and excellent quality. However, I have my own strengths, including electrical insulation, high mechanical strength, good abrasion, and excellent thermal conductivity but limited thermal shock and impact resistance. Even that I have strengths and weaknesses  I am more powerful and have much more potential than you think. If you want to know why, I will tell you then as follows.

I can be formed into many shapes, and the lower density grades with up to 10% porosity are easily cut and ground while fully dense alumina is hard and abrasion resistant which requires more specialized shaping methods. In most cases I was made by pressing and sintering powder, and grades ranging from 80 to 99.9% alumina. The maximum operating temperature increases with increasing alumina content.

All technical ceramics start as powders and so do I. The powders are mixed with a binder and molded, extruded or pressed to the desired shape. The shaped body is fired, burning off the binder and causing the powder particles to fuse together. Most grades of alumina contain a good deal of silica( up to 10%). This forms a glassy phase when heated, making the forming easier. In single crystal form I am sapphire, usually used for watch faces and cockpit windows of high-speed aircraft.[2]

For my other abilities, there are a lot of stories to tell. I have excellent hardness and strength for polishing , being substitute for industry diamond and abrasion protection, etc.  Moreover, I have the ability to work for a major company like” KYOCERA” to achieve more in my career. And I can also act as water purification, electrical insulator for the varieties of my strengths.