Steatite

Page Navigation

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Steatite is a ceramic material used extensively for electrical insulation in the electrical and electronic industries. It has excellent electrical resistance properties which are retained even at high temperatures, as well as good mechanical strength.

Steatite has both a high-volume resistivity and high dielectric strength, making it ideal for the production of electrical insulators. For these reasons, it is often used in large-scale electrical systems, electronic equipment and domestic appliances.

Steatite exhibits a very low dielectric loss, minimising the amount of energy loss and heating in applications where radio and microwave frequencies are present. This makes it the material of choice for insulators for broadcast antennae equipment (such as guy-strain insulators).

Steatite components show good wear resistance and are unaffected by water. They can be used in outdoor applications, as well as applications involving high temperatures.

Steatite exhibits low contraction during firing, allowing us to produce components to precise tolerances. IPS offer steatite products either glazed or unglazed.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Steatite
General Information
Max. Usage Temperature	1200 °C / 2200 °F
Bulk Density	2.7 g/cm³
Open Porosity	< 0.5 %
Modulus of Rupture @ Room Temp.	140 MPa
Modulus of Elasticity	100 GPa
Thermal Conductivity	2.5 W/mK
Thermal Expansion at 20 – 1000 °C	8.0 x10^-6/K
Volume Resistance	< 10¹²Ωcm
Dielectric Constant	6
Dielectric Strength	20 kV/mm
Typical Composition
SiO₂	60 %
MgO	25 %
Al₂O₃	5 %