Unlike other ceramic materials, zirconium oxide (ZrO2 also known as zirconia) is a material with very high resistance to crack propagation. Zirconium oxide ceramics also have very high thermal expansion and are therefore often the material of choice for joining ceramic and steel.
Another outstanding property combination is the very low thermal conductivity and high strength. Zirconium oxide ceramics are used among other applications, as tools for wire forming, as auxiliaries in welding processes, as materials for crowns and bridges in the dental industry, as insulating rings in thermal processes, and as oxygen measurement cells in lambda probes.
Typical Uses of ZrO2
*Precision ball valve balls and seats
*High density ball and pebble mill grinding media
*Rollers and guides for metal tube forming
*Thread and wire guides
*Hot metal extrusion dies
*Deep well down-hole valves and seats
*Powder compacting dies
*Marine pump seals and shaft guides
*Oxygen sensors
*High temperature induction furnace susceptors
*Fuel cell membranes
*Electric furnace heaters over 2000° C in oxidizing atmospheres
Ceramic Manufacturing Process
Raw Material >> Milling/Mixing >> Spray/Drying >> Forming >> Green Machining >> Sintering >> Grinding >> Special Process >> Inspection >> Cleaning >> Final Product
Property Description
1. Use temperatures up to 850° C
2. High density
3. Low thermal conductivity (20% that of alumina)
4. Chemical inertness
5. Resistance to molten metals
6. Ionic electrical conduction
7. Wear resistance
8. High fracture toughness
9. High hardness
| Characteristics | Unit | 95 Al2O3 | 99 Al2O3 | ZrO2 | GPSi3N4 | BN | Glass Ceramic |
| Crystal Structure | - | hexagonal | hexagonal | tetragonal | hexagonal | hexagonal | - |
| Color | - | white | ivory | white | gray | white | white |
| Density | g/cm3 | 3.65 | 3.88 | 5.95 | 3.22 | 2.26 | 2.55 |
| Water Absorption | % | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0-1.0 | 0 |
| Young's Modulus | Gpa | 280 | 350 | 205 | 295 | 670 | 65 |
| Vickers Hardness | Gpa | 14 | 20 | 12 | 18-20 | - | - |
| Flexural Strength @R.T. | Mpa | 280 | 300 | 900 | 650 | 51 | 100 |
| Compressive Strength @R.T. | Mpa | 2000 | 2500 | 2200 | 2200 | 230 | 500 |
| Thermal Conductivity @R.T. | W/(m*k) | 18-25 | 30 | 2.2 | 25 | 20 | 1.7 |
| Thermal shock resistance | Δ(℃) | 220 | 180-200 | 280-350 | 450-650 | >1500 | 25-100 |
| Max. Working Temperature @R.T. | ℃ | 1500 | 1700 | 850 | 1200 | 960 | 800 |
| Volume Resistivity @R.T. | Ω*cm | >10^15 | >10^14 | >10^12 | >10^14 | 10^13 | 10^16 |
| Dielectric Constant (1 MHz @R.T. ) | - | 9.5 | 9.8 | 26 | 8.2 | 4.08 | 6.02 |
| Dielectric Strength | kV/mm | 16 | 22 | - | 16 | 375 | 40 |
About UniPreTec
UniPreTec provides high-performance ceramic products in Alumina, Zirconia, Boron Nitride, Machinable Glass Ceramic, Silicon Nitride and further special materials. Along with these materials, we offer several machining from which to choose such as cutting, drilling, sawing, turning, grinding, polishing etc.. Furthermore, our technologies and equipments allow us to provide various and flexible forming processes, like dry pressing, isostatic pressing, extrusion, injection moulding and slip casting.
