The ceramic process: the challenge of complexity

With this title, as relevant as ever, Dr Mariano Paganelli opened today a seminar at the Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.

Why do mountains stand tall? Why nearby Modena and Sassuolo are there so many ceramic factories? How to find a replacement for the best clay ever found, no longer available because of the war in Donbass? And many more questions, to invite the students to observe their territory, ask even more questions and find their answers, thanks to their academic knowledge.

This is one of the objective of the tight collaboration between industry leaders and professors who have dedicated their life in inspiring the youth to pursue knowledge.

The main ceramic raw materials were observed from different points of view, starting from the periodic table then down to their thermal behaviour, with the help of combined data from the ELS-MDF optical dilatometer + DTA, complemented with geological, logistic and industrial insights.

The seminar was part of a cycle titled “Raw materials: a knowledge for professional fulfillment”. We thank prof. A. Gualtieri for the invitation and the continued collaboration born from the common desire to put students in contact with the industrial world.