Reaction bonding is a technology used for the production of dense ceramics. Through the process, a ceramic body is enriched with silicon based compounds, reaching a temperature up to 1,400 °C (2,550 °F), just below the melting point of silicon. Reaction bonded silicon carbide (RBSC) is produced from a finely divided mixture of silicon carbide and carbon. The silicon reacts with the carbon to form additional silicon carbide, bonding the particles together. Silicon also fills the residual open pores. RBSC undergoes minimal dimensional change during sintering (less than 0.1%). Products exhibit virtually constant strength as temperatures rise to the melting point of silicon. This “net shape” process, allowing for excellent dimensional control, reduces the amount of post firing costly machining and finishing.

This technology produces parts, as close as possible to their final shape and contour, resulting in a finished product with minimal cutting. Reducing the number of production steps for a given process results in higher quality and lower cost. This fundamental target incorporates several other advantages, such as: reduction of process variability, quality improvement in the finished product and the possibility to focus the design of mechanical devices on function, eliminating technical constraints imposed by process. 

Ceramic tiles compromise the incoming projectile by shattering it, decreasing its penetration ability. Ceramic materials are always supported by a pliable backing with polymeric, metallic, or both, composite materials, to prevent the shattered ceramic and projectile pieces from further damaging the protected system.

Since the density of ceramic armor is substantially lower than the density of steel, by substituting steel with ceramic armor, areal weight can be reduced by approximately half. At the higher end of performance, Silicon carbide (SiC) and Boron Carbide (B₄C) are used with densities of about 3,100 and 2,500K.g. /M³, respectively