Zirconia
Zirconia and Zirconia Toughened Alumina
Zirconia is a ceramic in a class of its own due to the transformative toughening that it goes through during manufacture. The result is a very fine-grained, fully dense ceramic that is tough enough to survive engineering applications that would shatter other ceramics.
- Sintered to full density for maximum strength
- Tough enough to replace metals in a wide variety of applications
- Exceptional abrasion resistance
- Low thermal conductivity – can act as a thermal barrier in assemblies
- A high thermal expansion which is similar to some steels – reducing stresses at metal to ceramic joints
IPS Ceramics Toughened Alumina
The toughening effect of zirconia is maximised at room temperature but progressively reduces as the temperature is raised from 200 °C to 500 °C. Although zirconia can be used at higher temperatures, the toughness will be similar to other ceramics (such as alumina).
IPS offers Yttria Stabilised Zirconia (Y-TZP) for applications which require the ultimate performance, as well as a Zirconia Toughened Alumina for applications where a more economical alternative is needed. Typical uses for Y-TZP include industrial cutting blades for yarns and textiles, bearings and seals, pump and valve components, wire-drawing cones, rollers and guides.