Advanced Ceramics

Applications and Characteristics

Advanced ceramic materials are newly developed and manufactured in a limited range for specific applications. Usually, their electrical, magnetic, and optical properties and combination of properties are exploited. Typical applications: heat engines, ceramic armors, electronic packaging, etc.

Aluminum oxide / Alumina (Al2O3) is one of the most used ceramic materials. Alumina is used in many applications such as to contain molten metal, where the material is operated at very high temperatures under heavy loads, as insulators in spark plugs, and in some unique applications such as dental and medical use. Chromium doped alumina is used for making lasers.

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is used in many electronic applications such as in electrical circuits operating at a high frequency because of its typical properties such as good electrical insulation but high thermal conductivity. It is also suitable for integrated circuits.

Silicon carbide (SiC) is known as one of the best ceramic materials for very high-temperature applications. Silicon carbide is used as coatings on other materials for protection from extreme temperatures. It is also used as abrasive material. It is used as a reinforcement in many metallic and ceramic-based composites. It is a semiconductor and often used in high-temperature electronics. Silicon nitride (Si3N4) has properties like SiC and is found applications in such as automotive and gas turbine engines.

Zirconia (ZrO2) is used in making oxygen gas sensors, as an additive in many electronic ceramics.