Elasticity is a physical-mechanical property that describes a material’s ability to undergo reversible deformation when subjected to mechanical stress—such as tension or compression.

In ceramic manufacturing, elasticity plays an important role, even though both technical and traditional ceramics are generally brittle and lack ductility. This means they have a high elastic modulus (i.e., they are stiff), but a very narrow elastic range—they deform very little before breaking.

During ceramic processing steps like shaping or powder pressing, elasticity must be carefully considered because if the unfired (green) body is too rigid, it may crack easily under mechanical stress.

For this reason, the elasticity of the raw material—and its behavior during drying and firing—is crucial to avoiding structural defects such as cracks or fractures. To manage this fragility, temporary binders or plasticizers are often added, helping to stabilize the material and improve its resistance to stress throughout the production line.