Introduction
Materials with strong properties are important to the breakthroughs in modern industries. The structural differences and performance characteristics of various materials make them irreplaceable in specific applications. This article highlights the top 10 representative strong materials, offering a reference for material selection and technological research in your industry.
Advanced Ceramic Materials ProductsDiamond
Diamond is made of carbon atoms that are arranged in particular structure. It is the hardest known material and has the highest Mohs hardness of 10. Unique structure gives it exceptional hardness and optical properties.
Besides being a precious gemstone, diamond has extensive applications in industry. Its very high hardness makes it ideal for cutting and grinding. Diamond also has great demand in the cutting and drilling of stone, metals and concrete.
Though very hard, diamond is brittle. It is likely to fracture under concentrated pressure or impact. In this way, diamond cannot be used in applications requiring shock resistance.
Cubic Boron Nitride (cBN)
Cubic Boron Nitride is the second hardest material. Its hardness is very close to diamond. cBN also possesses outstanding high-temperature resistance. The excellent oxidative resistance of cBN provides great advantages in high-temperature conditions.
cBN is used in the manufacture of high-performance cutting tools. It exhibits especially good performance when machining hard metals like steel and titanium alloys. High-temperature alloys, metalworking and grinding tools also need cBN.
While cBN is superior in its performance at high temperatures, its processing is more costly and complicated. High costs of production reduce its viability in certain uses.
Silicon Carbide (SiC)
Silicon carbide is a compound of silicon and carbon. It shows very high hardness and thermal stability, suitable for high-temperature and high-wear applications. SiC also exhibits excellent corrosion resistance.
SiC is widely used in the manufacture of ceramic components for high-temperature industries, electronic devices and automotive parts. For the wear resistance and high-temperature performance, SiC serves well in many industries, especially in semiconductor, aerospace and metal smelting industries.
Silicon Carbide Ceramic ProductsSiC is relatively brittle. It can fracture under high-pressure conditions. This further limits its applications in high dynamic loads.
If you would like to learn more about silicon carbide, please read our previous articles: What is Silicon Carbide Ceramic Materials? – Properties, Uses, and Applications Explained.
Tungsten
Tungsten is one of the densest metals. It has very high melting point of about 3400℃ with exceptional hardness. It can resist high temperatures and high pressures.
Tungsten’s refinement products have a wide applications in the high-temperature components field. Filaments, electronic devices and high-strength alloys all use it. Therefore, tungsten alloys are usually used in aerospace and military applications. Its extreme hardness and high-temperature resistance makes it suitable for cutting tools and heavy-duty machinery parts.
Tungsten is brittle. It tends to break down easily in high temperatures. Besides, with its high density of 19.25g/cm3, tungsten is heavy. So it does not provide lightweight conditions.
Chromium
Chromium belongs to the high-hardness metals. Most of its uses aim to enhance the corrosion resistance of steel. Its excellent oxidative and corrosion-resistance make it important in the chemical industry.
Chromium is used in the production of stainless steel and other alloys. It is widely applied in electroplating, coatings and abrasives. Chromium’s wear and corrosion resistance make it favorable for high-strength and wear-resistant tools in high-temperature and corrosive environments.
Chromium will oxidize at extremely high temperature. Its strength and toughness also decrease in such environment.
Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC)
Diamond-like carbon is a material that simulates diamond’ properties. It has a hardness similar to that of diamond, an extremely low friction coefficient, and self-lubricating properties.
DLC coatings are widely used in applications requiring friction reduction, wear resistance improvement, and prolonging component life. Because of its extremely good hardness and wear resistance, engine parts, bearings, and cutting tools are coated with DLC.
While DLC offers high hardness and a low friction coefficient, the DLC coating is prone to scratching. Its stability at high temperatures is relatively poor.
Niobium
Niobium is a metal characterized by high strength, anti-corrosion, and high-temperature resistance. It is mainly used in the making of high-strength alloys and is widely applied in aerospace and the environment of high-temperature chemical reactions.
Because of its excellent performance at high temperatures, niobium is usually combined with other metals such as titanium to create components for aerospace and nuclear reactors. It is also used in the manufacture of superconducting materials and electrical connectors.
Niobium is relatively expensive and has lower mechanical properties at room temperature. In heavy-load applications, its strength and hardness are worse compared to other metals.
Boron Nitride (BN)
Boron nitride possesses hardness close to diamond. It has excellent thermal conductivity and stability.
BN finds wide applications in aerospace, semiconductor manufacturing and high-temperature lubrication. Its main applications involve environments with high thermal loads. Many high-temperature lubricants, electrical insulators, ceramics, and coatings are made from it. Its chemical stability makes it ideal for electrical insulation.
BN provides very good hardness and thermal stability. However, it is quite brittle. Therefore, it tends to fracture or break in the impact or rapid deformation.
High-Strength Ceramic Materials (Alumina, Zirconia, etc.)
High-strength ceramic materials have very high hardness and wear resistance. They have wide applications in mechanical, electronics, and medical fields.
Manufacturing of Alumina Ceramic Products
Alumina ceramics are used to make wear-resistant parts and electronic components. Zirconia, with higher toughness, is used in the making of cutting tools and high-performance electronic components. The latter is also used for medical implants because of excellent biocompatibility.
The ceramic materials have excellent hardness and are wear-resistant. Most of them are prone to fracture or breakage under heavy impact and stress.
Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs)
The carbon nanotubes are cylindrical structures composed of carbon atoms. They have high specific strength and hardness. Their strength and rigidity are hundreds times greater than steel. CNTs are core material for future nanotechnology advancements.
Applications of CNTs include lightweight structural materials, composite materials, electronic devices and energy storage systems.
However, the production cost of CNTs is extremely high. Current technologies are not fully developed to solve its mass production problems.
Choosing the Right Material for Your Industry
From diamond to carbon nanotubes, these materials bring innovations to many industrial fields. Selecting the right one is crucial for improving performance in modern industries. With further development in material science, new materials combining high strength and multifunctionality will emerge, providing stronger support for upgrading high-end manufacturing industries.
Thank you for reading. If you are looking for advanced ceramic materials, we invite you to visit the homepage of Newthink New Materials. NKM offers advanced ceramic materials-silicon carbide, alumina, and boron nitride-that can help enhance your industrial production.
Reference
[2] Brown, T., & Pitfield, P. (2014). Tungsten. Critical metals handbook, 385-413.
[3] DeArdo, A. J. (2003). Niobium in modern steels. International Materials Reviews, 48(6), 371-402.
