Introduction
Ceramic materials have been widely applied in various fields. Depending on the type of material and the techniques, they can be primarily divided into traditional ceramics and advanced ceramics. Traditional ceramics are mainly used in daily life. Advanced ceramics boast outstanding performance, carry extraordinary advantages in many modern industrial fields.
This article will explain the difference between traditional and advanced ceramics by explaining their characteristics. If you want to improve production efficiency, this article will also provide a detailed overview of the properties and applications of certain ceramics to provide a reference for your industrial production.
Silicon Carbide Advanced Ceramic ProductsTraditional Ceramics
Traditional ceramics are made from natural mineral raw materials. Clay, quartz, and feldspar are the most common. Its manufacturing process includes a series of basic processes, including mixing, molding and sintering. It can be divided into four categories.
Daily-use Ceramics
It is closer to people’s daily lives. It can always be seen in household products. They are comfortable in use, easy to clean and have strong corrosion resistance for convenience in everyday life.
Architectural Ceramics
This type of ceramic is normally used for building decoration, such as tiles. It represents superior strength, wear resistance, waterproofing and corrosion resistance. Most of them are applied to different environments for varied needs.
Sanitary Ceramics
Used in bathrooms and kitchens. They possess smooth surfaces. As a result, they are easy to clean and resistant to corrosion and bacteria.
Industrial Ceramics
They are used in industrial production fields, including refractory and insulating materials. They satisfy the basic demands for industrial production.
Traditional ceramics possess advantages like high hardness, corrosion resistance and insulation. In addition, they can bear certain wear and impact, are not easily reacted with chemicals.
They also have remarkable disadvantages. They are brittle with relatively low strength and toughness. Under strong external forces, a fracture will occur, which restricts their application in high-end industrial products. Therefore, traditional ceramic materials are used mainly for conventional industrial and everyday products and cannot be applied to extreme working conditions.
Advanced Ceramics
Advanced ceramics play an important role in industries that have more challenging performance requirements. They are produced by high-purity ultra-fine synthetic inorganic compounds and are prepared by precision manufacturing processes. Compared with traditional ceramics, advanced ceramics possess superior properties. Their properties can be flexibly adjusted by changing raw materials and processing conditions to meet the requirements of different industries. Advanced ceramics are categorized by function or composition.
NKM Silicon Carbide Ceramic Production ProcessFunctional Classification
Structural Ceramics are mainly characterized by their excellent mechanical properties of high strength, hardness, resistance to temperature, wear, and corrosion. They ensure long-term stability under extreme working conditions. Therefore, they are appropriate for manufacturing mechanical parts, bearings and other industrial products.
Functional Ceramics refer to that with specific electrical, magneticor thermal properties. They are usually used in fields such as electronics, information technology, renewable energy and environmental protection. Based on properties, functional ceramics are further classified such as dielectric ceramics, magnetic ceramics and bioceramics.
Chemical Composition Classification
Oxide Ceramics
Including oxides such as Al2O3 and ZrO2. They have outstanding properties like high insulation and mechanical strength. They are resistant to high temperatures and corrosion, and are used in machinery, chemical engineering and electronics.
Nitride Ceramics
They refer to materials such as Si3N4 and BN. Possessing high mechanical strength, good thermal conductivity, chemical stability, and high temperatures resistance. The applications ranging from aerospace to high-performance fields.
Carbide Ceramics
Comprises materials like SiC and B4C. They possess various superior properties like extreme hardness, wear resistance, high-temperature and chemical stability. They are ideal for making high-performance components.
Comparison of Traditional Ceramics with Advanced Ceramics
The following table provides a comparison of traditional ceramics and advanced ceramics.
Comparison of Core Characteristics: Traditional Ceramics vs. Advanced Ceramics
| Characteristic | Traditional Ceramics | Advanced Ceramics | |
| Raw Material Composition | Natural minerals | High-purity, artificially synthesized fine chemical raw | |
| Microstructure | Relatively loose structure, coarse grains, containing more pores | Dense structure, fine and uniform grains, extremely low porosity | |
| Mechanical Properties | Hardness | High | Extremely high |
| Strength | Lower, high brittleness | Very high | |
| Toughness | Very poor, easily fractured | Significantly improved | |
| Thermal Properties | High-Temperature Resistance | Relatively high | Extremely high |
| Thermal Shock Resistance | Poor | Excellent | |
| Thermal Conductivity | Generally an insulator | Wide range | |
| Electrical Properties | Good electrical insulator | Functionalized | |
| Chemical Stability | Corrosion-resistant, but susceptible at high temperatures | Excellent corrosion resistance | |
| Cost and Processing | Relatively simple processes, low cost | Complex and precise processes, expensive | |
In short, traditional ceramics are cheaper with relatively average performance. They are mainly used in basic industrial fields such as daily necessities and construction. Advanced ceramics have higher manufacturing costs but superior performance. They are mainly concentrated in high-tech industrial fields.
Traditional Ceramic Materials and Applications
Traditional ceramics have dependable fundamental properties. They can be used for extended periods with great corrosion resistance. The stable performances and low cost of traditional ceramics have resulted in their wide application in everyday life and the basic industrial sectors.
Clay-Based Ceramics
Ceramics made of clay are one of the oldest and most widely used kinds of ceramics in human history. They are mainly made of clay. Silicon-aluminate are the main component supplemented with quartz and feldspar. The firing temperature for the ceramics is relatively low, about 900℃ to 1200℃. The structure after sintering is porous, and the hardness is relatively high. However, it possesses relatively low mechanical strength and is brittle. Clay-based ceramics are mainly applied to simple applications.
Daily-use Ceramics: They are utilized to make daily-use products, like flowerpots and clay pots, which benefit from their moderate absorption of water and their malleability.
Building Ceramics: For making fired bricks, roof tiles, terracotta drainage pipes, and other construction products, leveraging cost advantages and structural stability.
Art Ceramics: Used in the making of sculptures, teapots, and all kinds of craftsmanship, utilizing their excellent plasticity.
Quartz-Based Ceramics
Quartz-based ceramics are made of quartz or its variants through a refined manufacturing process. Quartz ceramics possess an extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion, almost without any deformation after heating up or cooling. They can resist the long operating temperatures between 1050℃ and 1200℃ and maintain good electrical insulation performance along with translucency. However, quartz ceramics have just average mechanical strength and alkali resistance is poor. Their applications have been focused on special fields.
Semiconductor Industry: Used to make quartz boats that depend on their high purity and resistance to thermal shock and high temperatures, so silicon wafers do not get contaminated.
Chemical Industry: Employed in acid-resistant valve and pipeline linings for their good resistance to acid corrosion.
Aerospace: Used in heat shields of spacecraft and covers of radar antennas, which utilize stability and resistance to high temperature.
Advanced Ceramic Materials and Applications
Advanced ceramics contribute to excellent performance. Under high-temperature working conditions, they do not soften like metals. They are also resistant to chemical corrosion. Due to their excellent performance, advanced ceramics can meet the modern industrial requirements and powerfully support product upgrading.
Silicon Carbide (SiC)
SiC ceramics are the most versatile materials in advanced ceramics. While having a Mohs hardness of 9.5, at room temperature, its compressive strength exceeds 3000 MPa and retains strength over 80% of room temperature strength at 1600℃. Silicon carbide ceramics also have excellent thermal properties. Its thermal conductivity is 5 to 10 times higher compared with alumina ceramics. Besides, its thermal expansion coefficient is far lower than that of metal materials. What’s more, SiC materials have excellent resistance to strong acids, alkalis and plasmas. Owing to these superior characteristics, SiC is an irreplaceable material applied in many high-class industries.
High-Temperature Applications of Silicon Carbide CruciblesHigh-Temperature Industry: Silicon carbide is a core material for high temperature sintering. Aluminum oxide rollers are bending and deformation when exposed to high temperatures, and their surfaces are easily prone to scaling and peeling over time. In contrast, silicon carbide rollers, at 1700°C furnace temperatures, have a bending deformation rate of only 0.3-0.5mm per meter, with smooth surfaces and an extended service life of 18-24 months. This significantly improves the product pass rate in kilns.
Applications of Silicon Carbide Ceramics in Semiconductor Wafer ManufacturingSemiconductor Manufacturing: Silicon carbide has been one of the key materials for processing wafers in semiconductor fabrication. Silicon carbide is required to have a purity of over 99.9% in order to make wafer chucks. It resists process temperatures above 300℃, vacuum environments and high-frequency electrostatic adsorption in wafer photolithography. Compared to the lifetime of traditional quartz chucks at about 300 processing cycles, SiC chucks can be used 1500-2000 times. It reduces replacement frequency and prevents debris contamination, improving wafer yield.
NKM Silicon Carbide Bulletproof PlateMilitary and Defense: Silicon carbide is used in lightweight armor technology. Lightweight armor is needed for both armored vehicles and patrol cars, which must be highly protective yet light. Although traditional steel armor provides protection, its heavy weight impairs the vehicle’s mobility. Armor made of SiC ceramics is more than 60% lighter compared to steel armor. The fragmentation of silicon carbide ceramics absorbs the energy of a projectile, sustains the same protective performance while considerably improving the vehicle’s maneuverability.
Zirconia (ZrO2)
Zirconia ceramic is highly tough. Its fracture toughness outperforms other advanced ceramics, providing better impact resistance. Zirconia also has high strength, wear resistance, low thermal conductivity and good insulation.
Precision and Wear-Resistant Parts: Zirconia is used to make ceramic bearings, sleeves and other components, used in high speeds, high temperatures, or dry conditions to improve equipment reliability.
Automotive Industry: Zirconia ceramic plays a central role in oxygen sensors for car engines. It accurately detects the oxygen concentration of exhaust gases to optimize fuel injection. They are key electrolyte materials used in solid oxide fuel cells to ensure efficient operation.
Electronics: Zirconia ceramics can be used in capacitors, sensors and other components that operate at high temperatures, which ensures stability in electronic devices under extreme conditions.
Alumina (Al2O3)
One of the most generally used advanced ceramics are alumina ceramics. The operating temperatures is between 1500℃ to 1650℃ with excellent insulation and corrosion resistance. Compared to other advanced ceramic materials, it is less expensive. This provides an advantage in cost efficiency.
Electronics: Chip packaging and circuit boards use aluminum oxide ceramics to ensure that electronic components function stably with the capability of dissipating heat due to their insulation and thermal conductivity.
Mechanical Industry: It can be processed into wear-resistant liners, bearings and other parts for long-term wear conditions.
Chemical Industry: Corrosion-resistant, aluminum oxide valves and crucibles can resist acid and alkali corrosion, thus ensuring smooth chemical production.
NKM Alumina Production ProcessingTraditional Ceramics or Advanced Ceramics?
The choice can be made based on specific needs, budgets and the application environment.
In conditions where cost-sensitive high and only basic performance is required, traditional ceramics should be the optimum choice. Their raw material costs are lower, and the manufacturing process is well established, making them ideal for meeting basic functional needs at low costs.
Where there is involvement of high-performance requirements, advanced ceramics become a necessary choice. Metals cannot resist corrosion or high temperatures, while plastics lack sufficient strength. Only advanced ceramics can overcome such limitations. Despite higher cost, the overall benefits of enhanced performance and increased production efficiency far outweigh their costs.
NKM Customized Silicon Carbide Product DrawingsIf you need advanced ceramic inquiries, please visit the Newthink New Materials for more details. NKM provides advanced ceramic products made from silicon carbide, alumina, boron nitride and zirconia. We are equipped with a professional technical team, which can provide high-quality services. Welcome to visit the website for inquiries and a quote based on your needs and drawings.
