INNOVACERA’s Company Profile and Advanced Ceramics Products Catalogue
INNOVACERA – COMPANY PROFILE
Advanced Ceramics Products
Metallized Ceramics
High Temperature Ceramics
Machinable Glass Ceramics
Porous-Ceramics
CoorsTek & Ceramatec Develop Silicon Carbide Joints for Thermo-Mechanically Stable Assemblies
All-new proprietary material and process exceeds performance of traditional brazes, adhesives, and bolt-together joining assemblies and rivals the strength of monolithic components
ASPE Annual Meeting, San Diego, California, October 22, 2012–CoorsTek, Inc., a large technical ceramics manufacturer, and Ceramatec, Inc. a technical ceramics research and development company and subsidiary of CoorsTek, today introduced a new silicon carbide joining technology for improved strength and thermal stability for assemblies of ceramic components – this technology enables solutions when monolithic ceramic are impossible to produce because of size or complexity.
This new joining technology enables the manufacture of multi-component ceramic arrays into reliable, high-strength systems. Testing has shown these joints retain strength and hermeticity even when exposed to high temperatures, thermal cycling, and various chemical environments. Metrology, precision optics, focal plane arrays, and wafer handling industries are among the current applications.
“Some designs are simply too large, complex, or expensive to produce a monolithic silicon carbide component,” states Merrill Wilson, Senior Engineer at Ceramatec, Inc.“This new joining technology essentially overcomes this barrier and enables manufacturing of critical-duty components,” he continues.
The 9th China (Jingdezhen) International Ceramic Fair on 18th-22th Oct 2012,
The principal exhibitions of the Fair include:
1, Daily-use Ceramics
2, Creative Ceramics
3, Overseas Ceramics
4, Advanced Ceramics
5, Ceramic Packaging
6, Tea-sets & Tea-ceremonies
7, Art Ceramics
8, Contemporary International Ceramic Exhibition
9, Exhibition of Finest Ceramics from Ten Famous Kiln Sites
Some interesting products show as below;
Alumina Ceramic Pen
Alumina Ceramic Bend Tube
Alumina Ceramic Faucet with applique glaze
Alumina Ceramic Tube and Ring
Other Advanced Ceramic Components
Advanced Ceramic Components for daily-used
Ultra-thin Transparent Ceramic Lighting
Zirconia Ceramic Components
Zirconia Ceramic Roller
Anisotropic, transparent fluoroapatite ceramics for high-power laser applications
Edited By Eileen De Guire • October 22, 2012
An Alfred University team led by Yiquan Wu is developing methods for synthesizing anisotropic, transparent, polycrystalline ceramics for high-power applications like laser-based fast-ignition of fusion. Credit: Wu; Alfred Univ.
You need a spark to light a fire, and sometimes that’s not so easy, as anybody who’s tried to light a too-green yule log can attest. Thermonuclear reactions, too, have to be ignited, and that is definitely not easy.
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has been studying the problem and is making significant progress on their laser-based “fast ignition” approach for igniting a thermonuclear reaction in a compressed hydrogen isotope fuel pellet. The conventional approach, called the “central hot spot,” involves simultaneously compressing and igniting a spherical fuel capsule in an implosion. In contrast, the FI approach separates the compression and ignition stages of the implosion, which provides advantages such as allowing for variability in fuel capsule dimensions and requiring less mass for ignition (thus less energy input and more energy gain). If the advantages of FI can be realized, the eventual development of an inertial fusion-energy power plant should be easier. Also, the ability to study these types of reactions in a controlled setting could eliminate the need for underground testing of nuclear weapons and allow scientists to study the physics and chemistry unique to the cores of stars and planets.
FI is, itself, a sophisticated technology that involves synchronizing the outputs of 192 laser beams to deliver a massive amount of energy to the fuel pellet. In May, Nature Photonics reported that LLNL successfully demonstrated the technology in March, firing the 192 beams simultaneously and delivering 1.875 megajoules of energy in 23 billionths of a second. LLNL followed-up with a successful repeat firing in July, bringing the possibility of laser-based fusion “75% of the way” to reality, according to a story on optics.org.
There are some practical problems, however. According to the LLNL website, the 192-laser array can fire off a beam only every few hours; between firings, time is needed for the thousands of optics to cool enough to endure another round. Thus, along with this technology, LLNL is working on developing a single-beam laser system in a program called “Mercury.” Mercury’s scientists have already come up with a method for cooling the optics that will allow for frequent firing of the laser. The Mercury technology uses light from diode lasers (similar to those used in commercial CD read/write players) that is amplified as it passes through a ytterbium-strontium-fluoroapatite (Yb:S-FAP) single crystal gain medium. While Yb:S-FAP is one of the most promising materials for high-efficiency, high-power laser applications, it is difficult to grow as a large single crystal, according to Alfred University assistant professor Yiquan Wu.
Wu, supported by an Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Award, is studying the synthesis and properties of anisotropic, polycrystalline, transparent ytterbium-doped strontium fluoroapatite, the same material used now as a single crystal. (The Mercury website says that LLNL also is looking at transparent ceramic amplifier media, but does not mention composition.)
In an email Wu comments, “If polycrystalline hexagonal Yb:S-FAP transparent ceramics can be successfully developed through advanced ceramics processing, it will be possible to make large-size laser gain media with optical properties currently unattainable by the Czochralski process.” The gain media for advanced laser applications, such as these, have cross-sections of 10-40 cm2.
According to Wu, laser ceramics are attractive because they last longer and can be fabricated more efficiently than single crystals, i.e., they can be formed faster with higher output production while using cost-effective manufacturing methods. He also notes that there are design opportunities that cannot be obtained with existing lasers. “Laser ceramics allow for the production of homogeneous solid solutions with high concentrations of laser-active ions and for composite laser media with complicated structures. The development of processing techniques for manufacturing laser ceramics with arbitrary geometries and with variable dopants would allow the optical and physical characteristics of ceramic lasers to be tailored, providing the opportunity to design lasers with novel properties and functions,” he reports.
His team is working with wet chemical processes and advanced ceramic processing methods to synthesize transparent ceramics. Wu says, “It would take months to grow single crystals with an appropriate size, but only several hours are needed to make these transparent ceramics.”
The image (above) shows progress the group has made synthesizing transparent Yb:S-FAP. The focus is on understanding the fundamental mechanisms that control the quality of the materials, which can be applied to a broader class of anisotropic transparent ceramics. To this end, the group is looking at other compositions, too, such as Y3Al5O12, ZnS, Lu2O3, CaF2 and Y2O3.
Wu will share more about his work with Yb:S-FAP and other transparent laser ceramics in the March 2013 issue of The Bulletin.
At present, innovacera’s alumina ceramics material is including two types: high-purity and ordinary.
The high-purity alumina ceramic series is the ceramic material with Al2O3 content of over 99.9%. Due to its sintering temperature up to 1650-1990C and transmission wavelength of 1 ~ 6μm, it is usually made into molten glass to replace the platinum crucible: Cause its light transmittance and alkali metal corrosion resistance, it can be used as a sodium tube for HID application; in the electronics industry, it can be used as integrated circuit ceramics substrate and high-frequency insulating materials.
According to the difference in Al2O3 content, the ordinary type alumina ceramic series is divided into 99 ceramics, 95 ceramics, 90 ceramics, 85 ceramics etc. The ceramics with Al2O3 content of 80% or 75% is also classified as ordinary alumina ceramic series. Innovacera produce alumina all is above 92% Alumina.
Among these, 99 alumina ceramic materials are used for producing high-temperature crucible, refractory furnace tubes and special wear-resistant materials such as ceramic bearings, ceramic seals and valve films and so on.
95 alumina ceramics are mainly used as corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant parts.
85 ceramics are often mixed in some steatites, thus improving electrical performance and mechanical strength.
It can be sealed with molybdenum, niobium, tantalum and other metals and some are used as electro-vacuum devices.
(Amherst, NY) — Saint-Gobain Ceramic Materials, the world’s leading manufacturer of hexagonal boron nitride, has added a new product AX15 to its Combat® family of high-purity hot-pressed boron nitride products.
Combat AX products, hot-pressed 99.7+% purity hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), exhibit exceptionally high thermal shock resistance, electrical insulation over 1800°C, and high thermal conductivity. The most popular product in the family, AX05, with its highest density and strength has been the material of choice for years in kiln furniture and furnace construction. The newest addition, AX15, with its uniquely open porosity, permits flow of process gases where outgassing is required, making it particularly suitable for direct contact, high-temperature environments such as crucibles, plates, setters, supports and muffles for aluminum nitride (AlN), silicon nitride (SI3N4) and SiAlON ceramic sintering. Like all other Combat hot-pressed products, AX family of boron nitride products can be easily machined into intricate shapes with tight tolerances using standard machining tools.
“AX15 is a perfect complement to AX05” said Dr. Eugene Pruss, Technical Manager, Boron Nitride Products, Saint-Gobain Ceramic Materials. “Combat AX products do not react with graphite or other ceramics, and their strength is unmatched for temperatures up to 1800°C and beyond in inert and vacuum environments. Together, AX15 and AX05 now offer a complete solution for both non-contact kiln furniture and direct-contact sintering media for high temperature ceramic processes” added Dr. Pruss.
In addition to pure hot-pressed solid boron nitride, Saint-Gobain also offers composites of zirconia and silica as well as grades using boric oxide and calcium borate binders. Combat hot-pressed solid BN is used in a wide variety of applications such as high temperature insulators for PVD coaters and ion implanters, nozzles for powder metal manufacturing, side dams for molten metals, and many more.
Mid-Autumn Festival(BOBING-moon cake gambling)
A 7,000 year old technique, known as Egyptian Paste (also known as Faience), could offer a potential process and material for use in the latest 3D printing techniques of ceramics, according to researchers at UWE Bristol.
Professor Stephen Hoskins, Director of UWE’s Centre for Fine Print Research and David Huson, Research Fellow, have received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC to undertake a major investigation into a self-glazing 3D printed ceramic, inspired by ancient Egyptian Faience ceramic techniques. The process they aim to develop would enable ceramic artists, designers and craftspeople to print 3D objects in a ceramic material which can be glazed and vitrified in one firing.
The researchers believe that it possible to create a contemporary 3D printable, once-fired, self-glazing, non-plastic ceramic material that exhibits the characteristics and quality of Egyptian Faience.
Faience was first used in the 5th Millennium BC and was the first glazed ceramic material invented by man. Faience was not made from clay (but instead composed of quartz and alkali fluxes) and is distinct from Italian Faience or Majolica, which is a tin, glazed earthenware. (The earliest Faience is invariably blue or green, exhibiting the full range of shades between them, and the colouring material was usually copper). It is the self-glazing properties of Faience that are of interest for this research project.
Current research in the field of 3D printing concentrates on creating functional materials to form physical models. The materials currently used in the 3D printing process, in which layers are added to build up a 3D form, are commonly: UV polymer resins, hot melted ‘abs’ plastic and inkjet binder or laser sintered, powder materials. These techniques have previously been known as rapid prototyping (RP). With the advent of better materials and equipment some RP of real materials is now possible. These processes are increasingly being referred to as solid ‘free-form fabrication’ (SFF) or additive layer manufacture. The UWE research team have focused previously on producing a functional, printable clay body.
This three-year research project will investigate three methods of glazing used by the ancient Egyptians: ‘application glazing’, similar to modern glazing methods; ‘efflorescent glazing’ which uses water-soluble salts; and ‘cementation glazing’, a technique where the object is buried in a glazing powder in a protective casing, then fired.These techniques will be used as a basis for developing contemporary printable alternatives
Professor Hoskins explains, “It is fascinating to think that some of these ancient processes, in fact the very first glazed ceramics every created by humans, could have relevance to the advanced printing technology of today. We hope to create a self-glazing 3D printed ceramic which only requires one firing from conception to completion rather than the usual two. This would be a radical step-forward in the development of 3D printing technologies. As part of the project we will undertake case studies of craft, design and fine art practitioners to contribute to the project, so that our work reflects the knowledge and understanding of artists and reflects the way in which artists work.”
The project includes funding for a three-year full-time PhD bursary to research a further method used by the Egyptians, investigating coloured ‘frit’, a substance used in glazing and enamels. This student will research this method, investigating the use of coloured frits and oxides to try and create as full a colour range as possible. Once developed, this body will be used to create a ceramic extrusion paste that can be printed with a low-cost 3D printer. A programme of work will be undertaken to determine the best rates of deposition, the inclusion of flocculants and methods of drying through heat whilst printing.
This project offers the theoretical possibility of a printed, single fired, glazed ceramic object – something that is impossible with current technology.
John Wiley and Sons’ new book analyzes the latest fabrication and processing techniques of ceramics and their composites. Advanced ceramic materials hold potential in a wide variety of fields, including aerospace, health, communications, environmental protection and remediation, energy and transportation.
By providing a detailed analysis of major processing methods for ceramics and composites, this book enables manufacturers to select the appropriate processing technique for producing their ceramic products and components with the required properties for different industrial applications.
With content provided by internationally renowned ceramics experts, the new book discusses both conventional fabrication methods and latest and emerging techniques to fulfill the growing demand for highly reliable ceramic materials. In this book, processing techniques for ceramics and composites are classified into sections, namely Densification, Chemical Methods and Physical Methods.
‘Densification’ section covers the basics and processes of sintering, viscous phase silicate processing and pulsed electric current sintering. ‘Chemical Methods’ section analyzes combustion synthesis, reactive melt infiltration, chemical vapor infiltration, chemical vapor deposition, polymer processing, gel casting, sol-gel and colloidal techniques. ‘Physical Methods’ section discusses techniques such as plasma spraying, electrophoretic deposition, microwave processing, solid free-form fabrication, and directional solidification.
Each chapter analyzes a specific processing method in detail. Together, these chapters provide readers extensive and advanced scientific data on different types of methods, techniques and approaches utilized for the fabrication and processing of cutting-edge ceramics and ceramic composites. The book is useful for students and scientists pursuing materials science, ceramics, nanotechnology, biomedical engineering and structural materials.
The latest in a long line of new materials, products and services, is the introduction of Precision ground and polished Zirconia Zirconium Oxide (ZrO2).
The Multi-Lab group, has an enormous amount of experience in grinding lapping and polishing quartz built up over many years. The Board of Multi-lab could see the opportunity immediately with most if not all of the equipment already in place, it was more a case of investment into the correct and separate diamond tooling.
So as to ensure there is no cross contamination of materials, a very big concern when using subcontract grinding companies, many of whom use the same wheels / tooling for all materials, (Hard metals such as Tungsten Carbide Ect) which can result in submicron metal particles being embedded into the surface of the ultra-pure ceramic, This is very often, completely unacceptable for a ceramic / zirconia application, as many are used in the, Chemical, Food and Medical industries.
Zirconium Oxide is a very versatile material, with very specific properties.
Typically Zirconium Oxide used in the production of:
Zirconia is generally stabilized with either Yttria or Magnesia but Alumina toughened is also available. Some grades can operate in excess of 2000 deg C but with a limited life the higher you go.
Typical advantages over many other ceramic materials:
Due to a combination of high density and very fine particle size, Multi-Lab have been constantly achieving better than Ra 0.025 um.
Zirconia is also, often the choice of ceramic for bonding to steel due to a very similar thermal expansion.
Enquiry