About Product Performance
Ceramics can be categorized into traditional ceramics and advanced ceramics (engineering ceramics), with differences in composition, properties, and application fields.
Traditional ceramics have a long history and mainly include:
Household ceramics (bowls, plates, cups, saucers, etc.)
Building ceramics (floor tiles, wall tiles, roof tiles, etc.)
Sanitary ceramics (toilets, sinks, etc.)
Artistic ceramics (porcelain crafts, sculptures, etc.)
Industrial ceramics (electrical insulators, refractory materials, etc.)
Traditional ceramics, which are mainly used in daily life, construction, and basic industrial applications, are typically made from natural raw materials such as clay, quartz, and feldspar, processed through mixing, molding, and sintering. They possess high hardness, corrosion resistance, and good insulation properties, but tend to be brittle. Advanced ceramics have emerged in recent years due to advancements in materials science and industrial demand. They are widely used in aerospace, electronics, energy, biomedical fields, and mechanical manufacturing and more.
Advanced Ceramics are classified based on chemical composition and function. In terms of chemical composition, there are Oxide Ceramics such as Alumina Ceramics (Al₂O₃), Zirconia Ceramics (ZrO₂), and Magnesia Ceramics (MgO). Nitride Ceramics include Silicon Nitride Ceramics (Si₃N₄), Aluminum Nitride Ceramics (AlN), and Boron Nitride Ceramics (BN). Carbide Ceramics include Silicon Carbide Ceramics (SiC)and Boron Carbide Ceramics (B₄C). Based on function, ceramics are divided into Structural Ceramics, which bear mechanical loads and are used in applications like cutting tools, bearings, wear-resistant components, and gas turbine parts, and Functional Ceramics, which possess specific physical or chemical properties, such as high-temperature superconducting ceramics, piezoelectric ceramics for sensors, and dielectric ceramics for electronic components.
Advanced ceramics and traditional ceramics have significant differences in raw materials, manufacturing processes, properties, and areas of application.
Conventional ceramics are mostly made up of natural raw materials of mineral origin such as clay, feldspar, and quartz. The raw materials are very minimally processed, and their composition and purity vary depending on where they are sourced. Manufacture in conventional ceramics usually involves plastic forming, slip casting, and dry pressing, and the sintering temperatures are typically below 1300°C. Conventional ceramics possess attributes like hardness, resistance to heat, corrosion resistance, and being well-insulated. But they have low strength and toughness and are relatively brittle. These ceramics are extensively used in daily-use ceramics, construction ceramics, chemical ceramics, and electrical insulators.
Advanced ceramics employ high-purity, ultrafine synthetic inorganic compounds as their raw materials, such as oxides (like alumina and zirconia), nitrides (like silicon nitride), and carbides (like silicon carbide). The chemical properties and purity can be controlled precisely to satisfy predetermined performance needs. High-performance ceramics have more sophisticated production processes that use techniques like isostatic pressing, hot pressing, injection molding, and tape casting. They are sintered at significantly higher temperatures, generally over 1600°C.
In performance, advanced ceramics possess better thermal stability., mechanical strength, hardness, toughness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. Additionally, They also exhibit unusual electrical properties like piezoelectricity, semiconductivity, and conductivity. Advanced ceramics, due to their superior properties, are used extensively in high-tech sectors such as machinery, electronics, chemicals, metallurgy, medical applications, military technology, and aerospace.
Advanced ceramics have advantages that metals and plastics simply cannot match. They possess high hardness and wear resistance, superior strength without deformation, excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance, outstanding stability without reacting with other substances, high-temperature endurance, excellent insulation properties, and non-magnetic characteristics.
As technology develops, especially in aerospace, we hope materials that meet several key requirements: greater wear resistance than metals, the ability to withstand extreme temperatures of about 2000°C, low density, and lightweight properties. However, among traditional materials like steel, copper, aluminum, silver, gold, and various plastics, none fully meet these demands. This led scientists to research advanced ceramics, essentially discovering a “new world” of materials with these exceptional properties.
For example, in high-power electronic devices, we need materials that provide strong insulation while withstanding temperatures up to 600°C. Metals, by nature, conduct electricity, while plastics are insulating but soften at just over 100°C, making them unsuitable. Advanced ceramics, such as alumina ceramic substrates, aluminum nitride ceramic substrates, and silicon nitride ceramic substrates, perfectly solve this challenge by combining both high-temperature resistance and excellent insulation properties.
SSiC (Sintered Silicon Carbide) is resistant to all chemicals substances, with a density of up to 3.16g/cm³, which is harder than SiSiC. Since it does not contain free silicon in its structure, it can be used up to 1650°C without affecting its strength.
SiSiC(Silicon Infiltrated Silicon Carbide) has a density of up to 3.04g/cm³. It contains free silicon with a melting point of 1350℃, and it can be used up to 1300℃ without strength loss.
Reaction-sintered silicon carbide: The silicon content limits the maximum operating temperature to 1380°C; the thermal conductivity is 20-30W/(m・K). The flexural strength is more than twice that of recrystallized silicon carbide; there is no pores and strong wear resistance.
Recrystallized silicon carbide: The maximum operating temperature is 1650°C, there are pores, and the wear resistance is poor. Due to the pure interface, the thermal conductivity is more than 100W/(m・K), which is more than 5 times that of silicon carbide ceramic refractory materials; due to the low thermal expansion coefficient, the thermal shock resistance is high, and it can resist rapid cooling and heating shocks.
About Production Process
Under normal conditions, we can achieve tolerances of ±0.5–1mm, with a minimum tolerance of 0.3μm through ultra-precision machining.
Depending on the product, we can achieve: Surface roughness: As low as Ra 0.01μm. Flatness: Up to 0.0005mm.
Without special processing conditions, the surface finish is typically around Ra 3.2. If higher precision is required, we can refine it to Ra 0.1–0.2 using precision machining equipment.
Depending on the product, we can achieve:
- Straightness: 0.0005mm
- Parallelism: 0.001mm
- Minimum hole diameter: 0.1mm
- Raw material preparation;
- Mold making;
- Production of blanks;
- Drying;
- Repair of blanks;
- Sintering;
- Sand cleaning;
- Precision machining;
- Quality inspection;
- Packaging.
Usually, the surface finish of advanced ceramic tubes is around Ra3.2 without special processing conditions; if the customer has higher requirements, we can achieve a surface finish of Ra0.1-0.2 through finishing equipment.
