Full definition
Advanced ceramic materials engineered for demanding industrial applications requiring extreme hardness, wear resistance, chemical inertness, and/or high-temperature stability. Major types: alumina (Al₂O₃, 85-99.9% purity, hardness 1,500-1,800 HV, for wear parts, insulators, and conveyor components), zirconia (ZrO₂, highest toughness among ceramics, 1,200 HV, for cutting tools and pump components), silicon carbide (SiC, hardness 2,500 HV, for seal faces, kiln furniture, and abrasion-resistant linings), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄, best thermal shock resistance, for bearings, turbocharger rotors, and cutting inserts). Properties: zero corrosion in most chemicals, electrical insulation (except SiC), temperature capability to 1,200-1,800°C. Limitations: brittle (low fracture toughness), expensive to machine (diamond grinding required). Per ISO 14705 (mechanical properties testing). Applications: conveyor wear tiles, pump seals, bearing balls, cutting inserts, spark plug insulators, and mining cyclone linings. Brands: Kyocera, CoorsTek, Morgan Advanced Materials.