CeramTec ceramic materials

Technical Ceramics from The Ceramic Experts

Advanced ceramic materials make applications possible today that were virtually inconceivable just yesterday. Due to their unique material properties, technical ceramics are considered to be one of the most efficient materials of our time.

Advanced ceramics provide the basis for CeramTec products. This material is also referred to as technical ceramics, engineering ceramics or industrial ceramics. These terms cover many different and in part highly-specialized ceramic materials with unique mechanical, electrical, thermal and biochemical properties and property combinations.

These specific characteristics can be further developed, optimized and matched for use in technical applications. It is also possible to combine different properties. Materials like these can be used to design advanced components that perform the required tasks with optimum precision and can be light years ahead of competing materials such as metal or plastic in the respective field of application. Components made from ceramic materials are increasingly the only solution available for technical challenges that cannot be overcome with conventional materials.

Technical Ceramics – Materials Groups

Technical ceramics from CeramTec can be divided into four major groups of ceramic materials: Silicate ceramics, oxide ceramics, non-oxide ceramics and piezo-ceramics. Silicate ceramics are the oldest type of ceramic materials for technical applications and are made primarily from natural raw materials in conjunction with alumina (aluminum oxide, aluminum silicate). The oxide ceramics group contains materials that consist primarily of metal oxides such as aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum titanate or dispersion ceramics. Non-oxide ceramics represent a materials group comprised of ceramic materials based on carbon, nitrogen and silicon compounds such as silicon carbide, silicon nitride and aluminum nitride. Piezo-ceramics (also known as functional ceramics) represent a group of materials used to convert mechanical parameters into electrical parameters or, conversely, to convert electrical signals into mechanical movement or vibration.

Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3)

Aluminum Titanate (Al2TiO5)

Mixed/Dispersion Ceramics

Piezo-ceramics

Silicate Ceramics

Zirconium Oxide (ZrO2)

Aluminum Nitride (AlN)

Silicon Carbide (SiSiC / SSiC)

Silicon Nitride (Si3N4)

SiAlONs

Metal Matrix Composite (MMC)

Technical Ceramics – Material Properties

Ceramic materials used as technical ceramics or advanced ceramics in technical applications must satisfy extremely high demands in terms of their properties. The property spectrum ranges from wear and heat resistance, temperature and corrosion resistance all the way to biocompatibility and food compatibility.

  • Flexural strength
  • Biocompatibility
  • Chemical resistance
  • Density and stiffness (Young’s modulus)
  • Compressive strength
  • Electrical insulation
  • Dielectric strength
  • Hardness
  • Corrosion resistance
  • Food compatibility
  • Piezo-electricity and dynamics
  • Temperature resistance
  • Thermal shock and fluctuation resistance
  • Metalization (joining technology)
  • Wear resistance
  • Thermal expansion
  • Thermal insulation
  • Thermal conductivity

These diverse properties make it possible to use technical ceramics in a variety of applications in the automotive industry, electronics, medical technology, energy and environment and in general equipment and mechanical engineering. CeramTec’s current product portfolio comprises well over 10,000 different products, components and parts, and a
broad spectrum of advanced ceramic materials along with CeramTec’s own proprietary developments based on this fascinating material.

Markets and Applications for CeramTec Products?
Are Nearly Everywhere.

CeramTec advanced ceramics offer so many advantages in so many different applications in a wide variety of markets. CeramTec products are used in Vehicle and Automotive Engineering, Electronics, Energy and Environment, Equipment and Mechanical Engineering, and Medical Technology.

Where Can…

…Advanced Ceramics Be Found? Our new brochure about ceramics in our world answers the question where technical ceramics deliver peak performance every day.

Read more

Technical Ceramics Manual

The chapters of this manual include an overview of materials, manufacturing processes, ceramic-oriented component design and examples for applications.

Read more

CeramTec Images

Selected CeramTec image themes featuring components made from technical ceramics that can be used according to Creative Commons (CC BY-ND 3.0).

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Your direct Line to CeramTec Advanced Ceramics

You can contact CeramTec’s Development department directly with any comments or ideas regarding technical ceramics or questions about technical ceramics’ properties or fields of application.

Your contact:

CeramTec GmbH

CeramTec-Platz 1–9
73207 Plochingen

Mrs. Claudia Zeus
Director Customer Service
Phone +49.7153.611-11900
Fax +49.7153.611-601
Email

Technical Ceramics – Experience it live

You will find technical ceramics at a number of international trade fairs and events. Moreover, a visit to the “Technical Ceramics” exhibition at the Deutsches Museum in Munich or Porzellanikon, the European Museum for Technical Ceramics in Selb, is always worthwhile. CeramTec helped develop a variety of exhibits featuring ceramic materials for both museums.

We also recommend reading the article about advanced ceramics on Wikipedia and visiting the web pages of the Ceramics Industry Association, were you will find specific information on this topic and a very useful guide to advanced ceramics. Moreover, the Technical Ceramics Information Center hosts a seminar series called “Technical Ceramics in Practical Applications” every two years in Germany. This seminar series is aimed at teaching participants about the capabilities, applications and cost savings potential of technical ceramics.

Recommended Contacts

Please click on the button “Contacts” to the right, to get a list with the personal and direct responsible contacts within the CeramTec Group.

Contacts

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