What is ceramic cookware made of? When we talk about ceramic cookware there are two types to mention. One is made of 100% ceramic and the other has a ceramic nonstick coating. Each has a particular process of production. The following looks at both.
Ceramic is an inorganic (meaning no carbon) and non-metallic material that constitutes the material in the natural ceramic cookware like Xtrema. It is one of the best natural cookware materials, but let’s look at the nonstick ceramic constituents first…
What is ceramic cookware coating made of?
The ceramic cookware coating is essentially made of silicon dioxide (AKA silica), a combination of silicon and oxygen, which is quartz and a basic element found mostly in sand.1
Instead of using PTFE in a coating to prevent food from sticking, the coating of ceramic nonstick pans is made from a mineral applied in a gel solution and then fired for adherence to the metal base.
Ceramic coatings include patented types, such as ThermolonTM, used in GreenPan and GreenLife cookware; Weilburger Greblon® used in Healthy Legends cookware; and the nano-ceramic technology used in Cuisinart ceramic cookware.
“Thermolon is developed from an inorganic, ceramic polymer based on silica that is coated using a sol-gel process” (Porcelain Industries 2018).
I did some research and found the following.
Here’s the process — how ceramic cookware are made in the nonstick range…
- Sol-Gel technology2 delivers silica1 with a gel solution onto the metal substrate of pots and pans, by either spraying or dipping.
- The coated pan is then hardened by firing (known as curing). As this is done at very high temperatures, any volatiles in the coating will dissipate in the oven during this firing.3
- The end product features a glass-like ceramic finish that is smooth with no microscopic pores in which food particles can adhere, thus making it nonstick. The finish is ultra dense and ultra hard.
How are ceramic pans made that are 100% Ceramic Cookware?
This 100 percent ceramic cookware is made of molded natural clay and finished with a natural ceramic glaze.
The Xtrema Range contains no metals or toxic substances, according to the manufacturer. It makes it one of the healthiest cookware – good for your health and the environment…
It takes 20 days to complete the making of this pure ceramic cookware. It’s made of light-weight pressure cast ceramic.
Each piece is cast in a mold under high pressure and then triple-fired at extremely high temperatures (2,500ºF) for strength and durability.
Staub is another 100% ceramic cookware range and this video displays the making of this pure ceramic cookware.
Bottom line on how is ceramic cookware made…
In the non stick ceramic cookware type, the manufacturers use sand (silica) that is formulated to provide a non-stick surface.
In the solid ceramic cookware types, it’s pure ceramic clay, molded and fired under high pressure.
Info sources
- PubChem: Silicon dioxide SiO2 (aka Silica)
- Orion Industries: Sol-Gel Coatings
- Elsevier: Today’s Nonstick