The specialist for technical ceramics
Components made of high-performance ceramics are superior to components made of plastic or metals in many properties. The use of ceramic materials extends the life cycle of the components and thus reduces expensive machine downtime.
Ceramic components are therefore used in all areas of equipment and mechanical engineering.
These, usually very specific components, are produced according to customers drawings or samples.
Finest tolerances in the μm range are possible. The quantities range from samples to series production.
This group of ceramic materials includes steatite, porcelain, cordierite and mullite. All
these materials exhibit at room temperature very good electrical resistivity, very small
dielectric loss and small thermal conductivity. Cordierite exhibits additionally very low
thermal expansion coefficient and thus good thermal shock resistance.
Since many years silicate ceramics have been used to produce electrical and
thermally insulating components. The silicate components are relatively inexpensive,
as these materials are produced from natural raw materials.
Alumina (Al2O3) ceramics are produced with 92.0 – 99.9% content of aluminium
oxide. These material group is characterized by excellent electrical isolation, thermal
and chemical resistance and very high hardness. Due to these properties, the
components made from alumina are used in a wide range of applications in electronic
equipment’s, electrical engineering, analytical instrumentations, mechanical
engineering and the chemical and textile industry. Alumina is the most common
material used for structural ceramic parts.
Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) ceramics are used in the production of ceramic component
either as partially stabilized zirconium oxide (PSZ) or tetragonal zirconium oxide
(TZP).
Both materials exhibit very good mechanical strength, fracture toughness and
thermal shock resistance. The coefficient of thermal expansion of these materials is
comparable to this of steel.
Zirconia is often used in wear applications requiring improved fracture toughness and
stiffness over alumina.
PSZ exhibits very high mechanical strength, fracture toughness and wear resistance.
Due to these properties the parts made of PSZ zirconia are used in all areas of
technology.
TZP zirconia offers the highest mechanical strength, fracture toughness and wear
resistance. Parts made from this material satisfy the highest requirements concerning
mechanical properties, surface roughness and edge stability.
This material is used to produce components that place the highest demand on
mechanical properties, surface and edges stability e.g. of blades with superior
quality.
Silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics are characterized by excellent thermal shockresistance low density, very high strength and fracture toughness.
Components made of silicon nitride are used in welding technic and metal industryDue to very good tribological properties of silicon nitride the ball bearings are madefrom this material.
Silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics exhibits the highest hardness of the material listed, very good thermal shock resistance and very good chemical resistance. The thermal conductivity of silicon carbide even exceeds that on many metallic materials. Silicon carbide parts find application, where the highest wear and chemical resistance are required.
The most important ceramic materials are listed in detail here. Of course, components made of all other ceramics are also available.
The most important ceramic materials are listed in detail here. Of course,components made of all other ceramics are also available.