Ceramic materials are becoming popular gradually in modern industries. Various industries, such as semiconductors, aerospace, and energy, need ceramic materials with excellent performance even in high-temperature environment.
Learning the maximum operating temperature of different type of ceramics is helpful to optimize production efficiency, as well as reduce downtime costs. This article ranks 10 ceramic materials by their operating temperatures based on the latest data. You can find their core advantages and industrial applications easily to assist you in material selection.
Magnesium Oxide (MgO) – 2200℃
MgO offers excellent performance under high-temperature. It possesses high melting point and thermal stability with excellent electrical insulation and resistance to alkaline corrosion, performing outstandingly in high-temperature alkaline environments.
Limitation: MgO has poor thermal shock resistance. It cannot withstand rapid temperature fluctuations, and is more likely to be destroyed by sudden heating & cooling.
Applications: MgO is ideal for your high-temperature alkaline operating environments. Most of them are used for ultra-high-temperature furnace linings and crucibles for molten metals, especially for alkaline melts.
Boron Nitride (BN) – 2000℃
BN possesses two main forms, hexagonal (h-BN) and cubic (c-BN). Except high temperature resistance, high thermal conductivity, and excellent lubrication, BN shows stable chemical properties. It does not react with most metals or molten salts. Moreover, the decomposition temperature of BN reaches 3000℃.
Limitation: BN ceramics have relatively low mechanical strength and poor impact resistance. They cannot be used in environments with heavy load.
Applications: BN is commonly used in high-temperature doping in the semiconductor manufacturing and high-temperature parts in aerospace. In your applications requiring high-temperature lubricating, BN cannot be substituted.
Boron Nitride Composite Ceramic ProductsBoron Carbide (B4C) – 1800℃
B4C has extreme hardness that only behind diamond and c-BN. It provides outstanding wear & corrosion resistance under high temperatures. Owning low density and strong resistance to oxidation, it can remain stable at harsh environment.
Limitation: High brittleness and moderate thermal shock resistance. The great difficulty of processing boron carbide leads to relatively high production costs.
Applications: Boron carbide ceramics are the first material for high-temperature wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant parts. They are mostly employed in high-temperature ballistic armor plates and nozzles.
Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) – 1800℃
High-purity alumina has excellent mechanical strength, along with electrical insulation and corrosion resistance. Its thermal shock resistance is more excellent than MgO. The biggest advantage of alumina ceramics is its cost-effective because of low material costs.
Limitation: At high temperature, Al2O3 shows weak tolerance to certain acids. Its toughness is slightly inferior to that of zirconia ceramics.
Applications: Alumina is fundamental for your medium-to-high temperature industry. It is commonly used for high-temperature insulators, sintering carriers for electronic components, and refractory linings in the metallurgy.
Alumina Ceramics Production WorkshopSilicon Carbide (SiC) – 1650℃
Silicon carbide is popular with its comprehensive properties, including high hardness, superior thermal shock resistance, excellent wear & corrosion resistance. Due to its balanced performance, SiC is very hot across many industrial sectors.
Limitation: If SiC parts work in high-temperature oxidizing environment for a long time, it can degrade its performance. Besides, the production of SiC ceramics needs complex sintering, which makes large-scale mass production is somewhat challenging.
Applications: Silicon carbide is a common material for various industries. SiC plates and rollers are widely used in your high-temperature kiln. SiC can also be used for high-temperature diffusion furnace tubes in the photovoltaic industry. In aerospace, SiC is produced into parts like rocket nozzles. SiC corrosion-resistant parts, sealing rings and bushings, are also employed for your mechanical seal.
High-temperature Applications of Silicon Carbide Heating ElementsZirconia (ZrO2) – 1500℃
Zirconia has high toughness with a fracture toughness exceeding alumina ceramics. Stabilized with yttria or calcia, zirconia maintains a stable structure at high temperatures. Zirconia also exhibits excellent corrosion resistance.
Limitation: Relatively low thermal conductivity constraint the application of zirconia. It also has a higher cost compared to alumina ceramics. In high-temperature reducing atmospheres, zirconia shows lower tolerance.
Applications: Zirconia is perfect for your application requiring high toughness under high temperature. It is commonly found in high-temperature sensor housings, molten metal crucibles, and ceramic cutting tools.
Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) – 1500℃
Si3N4 has a good thermal shock resistance along with a low thermal expansion coefficient. Such properties bring Si3N4 ceramics the ability to resist cracks under intense temperature fluctuations. Si3N4 is also not easily react with molten metals, ensuring stable usage.
Limitation: In the oxidizing atmospheres, the high-temperature tolerance of Si3N4 is limited. Si3N4 has a disadvantage that is higher production costs, due to its relatively long manufacturing cycle.
Applications: Si3N4 ceramic material is popular in high-temperature reducing atmospheres in your industries. It is used in gas turbine blades, continuous casting molds for the metallurgy, and ceramic bearings.
Aluminum Nitride (AlN) – 1400℃
Aluminum nitride possesses exceptional thermal conductivity approaching that of metals. It also maintains excellent electrical insulation. With high-temperature stability, it is perfectly suited for the dual requirements of heat dissipation and insulation in electronic devices.
Limitation: It has relatively weak mechanical impact resistance and is susceptible to corrosion at high temperatures.
Applications: Aluminum nitride is a common high-temperature electronic ceramic material. It is widely applied in high-temperature packaging substrates for your semiconductor chips, high-temperature heat dissipation components for your LEDs, and linings for your high-temperature vacuum furnaces.
Mullite (3Al2O3·2SiO2) – 1300℃
Mullite provides excellent thermal shock & corrosion resistance, well-suited for standard high-temperature environments. It has a dense structure and provides outstanding cost-effectiveness, as its cost is lower than that of alumina or zirconia.
Limitation: Its mechanical strength is relatively low at high temperatures. Long-term use at its limit of 1300℃ can lead to performance degradation over time.
Applications: Mullite is ideal for common industrial conditions. It is widely used in your industrial furnace linings, refractory materials, and ceramic kiln furniture.
Application of Mullite Kiln PlatesCordierite (2MgO·2Al2O3·5SiO2) – 1200℃
Cordierite has low thermal expansion coefficient, excellent thermal shock resistance, as well as good insulation. These unique properties make cordierite stable even under intense temperature fluctuations, which causes it well-suited for frequent temperature cycles.
Limitation: Cordierite has a relatively low mechanical strength at high temperature. For acidic media, cordierite offers ordinary wear resistance & tolerance.
Applications: Cordierite is ideal for your high-temperature thermal shock-resistant parts. It is usually used in high-temperature furnace door seals, high-temperature flow diversion components in the metallurgy, and pyrometer protection tubes for kilns.
Choosing the Ceramic Material Based on Your Needs
Ceramic materials for industrial applications must balance operating temperatures with specific environmental characteristics. 10 materials listed above possess unique properties, meeting diverse industrial demands. From basic high-temperature industrial use to high-end industry like semiconductor manufacturing, each of them provide the unique properties you needed.
Still finding a customized high-temperature ceramic material tailored to your working conditions? Newthink New Materials provides advanced ceramic products including silicon carbide, alumina, and boron nitride with 14 years of experience in the advanced ceramics industry. Contact us with your details to receive expert recommendations.
Thanks for your reading. Hope this article is helpful.
FAQs
- Can ceramic withstand high heat?
Yes. They possess excellent thermal properties. Some of them maintain performance even at temperatures up to 2,000℃.
- What is the highest temperature ceramic can handle?
MgO possesses the highest operating temperature at 2,200℃.
- What is the operating temperature of ceramics?
Vary by material. The common range is from 1,200℃ to 2,200℃. Choosing the material depends on specific industrial applications and environmental factors like oxidation or mechanical load.
- What temperature will ceramic melt?
Specific melting points vary. Most ceramics’ melting temperature is above 2,000℃.
- Can ceramics operate at their maximum operating temperature for long periods?
It is not recommended. Many ceramics may experience performance degradation if used at their limit for long periods. Long-term exposure to oxidizing environments can also degrade the performance.
Reference
[4] Roy, R. (2022). A review of advanced mullite ceramics. Engineered Science.
