ABSTRACT
The properties and the way its atoms are arranged are determined primarily by the nature and directionality of interatomic bonds. If the bond is strong, those are the primary bonds. The primary bonds may be ionic, covalent, or metallic. Van der Waals and hydrogen bonds are secondary bonds, and they are weaker than the primary bonds. Ceramics contain two types of primary bonds-ionic and covalent. There are a few ceramics that contain the third type of primary bond (i.e., the metallic bond). For example, in Fe3C, the bond is partly ionic and partly metallic.
