Industrial Ceramics

Industrial Ceramics is a high-performance engineered material made by sintering inorganic non-metallic materials at high temperatures.

The industrial ceramics industry is a high-tech industry based on non-metallic inorganic materials that manufactures high-performance structural parts and functional devices with extreme environmental adaptability through precision formula design, ultra-fine powder processing and high-temperature sintering technology. Different from traditional daily ceramics, its core value lies in the creative integration of material science, engineering mechanics and chemical stability, giving products unique performance spectrums such as ultra-high temperature resistance, ultra-high hardness, corrosion resistance, and low density.
The industrial ceramics industry covers structural ceramics (such as mechanical seals, cutting tools), electronic ceramics (such as semiconductor substrates, sensor chips), bioceramics (such as artificial joints), nuclear energy ceramics and new energy ceramics (such as solid-state battery separators) and other multi-dimensional technology branches, which are the "hidden pillars" in the fields of modern aerospace, high-end equipment, electronic information, new energy and medical technology.
The essence of industrial ceramics is to transform brittle materials into engineering solutions that break through the performance boundaries between metals and polymers through the limit control of microscopic grain boundaries and phase composition, and is the underlying technology responsible for the lightweight of high-temperature components, the miniaturization of electronic components, and the long-term longevity of chemical equipment.

The deep reconstruction of the global competition pattern. With the advancement of the "Belt and Road" initiative, China's industrial ceramics have accelerated the layout of overseas markets. While maintaining the export advantages of traditional architectural ceramics, high-end electronic ceramics, special ceramics and other high value-added products are becoming a new engine for export growth. At the same time, the competition for cross-border technical cooperation and standard-setting rights is becoming increasingly fierce, and enterprises that master core technologies are expected to occupy a dominant position in the global industrial chain.
China's industrial ceramics industry is in a critical period of transformation and upgrading at the intersection of strategic opportunities. From supporting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries to empowering breakthroughs in emerging industries, the strategic value of industrial ceramics is becoming increasingly prominent. In the future, the industry needs to take technological innovation as the core driving force, strengthen collaborative innovation between industry, university and research, and break through key core technologies; take green transformation as the background of sustainable development and build an industrial ecology with efficient use of resources; Take market expansion as the growth pole and deepen international cooperation and brand building. With the continuous release of policy dividends and the continuous upgrading of market demand, China's industrial ceramics industry will surely achieve a leap from following to leading, and engrave China's mark on the global new material map. This process is not only related to the improvement of industrial competitiveness, but also a vivid practice of achieving scientific and technological self-reliance and promoting high-quality development.

With the advancement of materials science and manufacturing technology, industrial ceramics have become an irreplaceable key material in modern industry.

Industrial ceramics are mainly composed of metal oxides (such as Al₂O₃, ZrO₂), nitrides (such as Si₃N₄), carbides (such as SiC) and other non-metallic compounds, and their performance characteristics are as follows:
High hardness and wear resistance: Industrial ceramics are usually harder than metal materials, such as alumina ceramics have a Mohs hardness of 9 (second only to diamond), making them suitable for high-wear environments.
High temperature resistance: It can withstand high temperatures above 1000°C, such as silicon carbide ceramics remain stable at 1600°C and are often used in aero engine components.
Chemical inertness: industrial ceramic has strong resistance to corrosive media such as acids, alkalis, and salts, such as zirconia ceramics can still be used for a long time in strong acid environments.
Insulation and dielectric: Alumina, aluminum nitride, etc. are high-quality insulating materials widely used in electronic substrates and packaging.
Lightweight: Only 1/3-1/2 of the density of metal, which reduces the weight of the equipment and improves energy efficiency.

According to the composition and use, industrial ceramics can be divided into the following categories:
1. Oxide ceramics
Alumina ceramics (Al₂O₃):
The most common industrial ceramics, Al₂O₃ content between 75% and 99.9%, high hardness and good insulation, are used in mechanical seals, electronic substrates, tools, etc.
Zirconia ceramics (ZrO₂):
High toughness (2-3 times more fracture toughness than alumina), abrasion resistance, used in dental restorations, bearings, mobile phone backplates.
Beryllium Oxide Ceramics (BeO):
High thermal conductivity, used for heat dissipation of high-power electronic devices, but attention should be paid to toxicity.
2. Non-oxide ceramics
Silicon Carbide Ceramics (SiC):
High temperature resistance and strong thermal shock resistance, used in high-temperature kiln liners and semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Silicon nitride ceramics (Si₃N₄):
It has both high strength and thermal shock resistance, and is used in turbine rotors, bearing balls.
Aluminum Nitride Ceramics (AlN):
With high thermal conductivity and insulation, it is the material of choice for LED substrates and integrated circuit packaging.

3. The core application areas of industrial ceramics

Industrial ceramics can play mechanical, thermal, chemical and other functions in applications. Due to the high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, erosion resistance and other advantages, industrial ceramics can replace metal materials and organic polymer materials for harsh working environments, and have become an indispensable material in traditional industrial transformation, emerging industries and high-tech, and have a wide range of applications in energy, aerospace, machinery, automobiles, electronics, chemical and other fields.

These industrial ceramics have their own strengths and are widely used, such as using ceramics with high hardness and high wear resistance to produce mechanical parts, seals, cutting tools and other materials, using ceramics with high wear resistance, high strength and high toughness to produce wear-resistant, lightweight parts, heat-resistant and thermal insulation parts, steam turbine blades, piston tops, etc., and using ceramics with high corrosion resistance and good chemical stability in contact with biological enzymes to produce crucibles for smelting metals, heat exchangers, biological materials, etc. Various structural materials are produced using ceramics that capture and absorb neutrons. These applications are just a few of the applications of industrial ceramics, and the uses of industrial ceramics are very wide.

As the core material of high-end manufacturing in the 21st century, the performance breakthrough of industrial ceramics is driving innovation in energy, medical, semiconductor and other fields. With the advancement of manufacturing technology and the deepening of interdisciplinary research, industrial ceramics will release greater potential in extreme environment applications, miniaturized devices and other fields, becoming a key driver of carbon neutrality and industrial upgrading.