Editing Solid-state chemistry (section)

==== Ceramic method ====
The ceramic method is one of the most common synthesis techniques.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Rao |first=C. N. R. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/908260711 |title=Essentials of inorganic materials synthesis |date=2015 |others=Kanishka Biswas |isbn=978-1-118-89267-1 |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |oclc=908260711}}</ref> The synthesis occurs entirely in the solid state.<ref name=":0" />  The reactants are ground together, formed into a pellet using a pellet press and hydraulic press, and heated at high temperatures.<ref name=":0" /> When the temperature of the reactants are sufficient, the ions at the grain boundaries react to form desired phases. Generally ceramic methods give polycrystalline powders, but not single crystals. 

Using a [[mortar and pestle]], ResonantAcoustic mixer, or [[ball mill]], the reactants are ground together, which decreases size and increases [[surface area]] of the reactants.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pagola |first=Silvina |date=January 2023 |title=Outstanding Advantages, Current Drawbacks, and Significant Recent Developments in Mechanochemistry: A Perspective View |journal=Crystals |language=en |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=124 |doi=10.3390/cryst13010124 |issn=2073-4352 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2023Cryst..13..124P }}</ref> If the mixing is not sufficient, we can use techniques such as [[Coprecipitation|co-precipitation]] and [[Sol–gel process|sol-gel]].<ref name=":0" /> A chemist forms pellets from the ground reactants and places the pellets into containers for heating.<ref name=":0" /> The choice of container depends on the precursors, the reaction temperature and the expected product.<ref name=":0" /> For example, [[Oxide|metal oxides]] are typically synthesized in silica or alumina containers.<ref name=":0" /> A [[tube furnace]] heats the pellet.<ref name=":0" /> Tube furnaces are available up to maximum temperatures of 2800<sup>o</sup>C.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tube Furnaces |url=https://thermcraftinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/TubeFurnaces.pdf |access-date=March 30, 2023}}</ref> [[File:Horno_tubular.jpg|thumb|Tube furnace being used during the synthesis of [[aluminium chloride]]]]