Product Description

ZTA Ceramics, the full name of which is Zirconia Toughened Alumina Ceramic, is a high-performance composite ceramic material. It consists of an alumina (Al₂O₃) matrix and zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) particles or fibers, which are combined through a specific process to form a composite material with excellent mechanical properties and physical properties.

Alumina is a ceramic material with high hardness and good wear resistance, but its toughness is relatively low, and it is prone to brittle fracture when impacted or subjected to external forces. Zirconia, on the other hand, has good toughness and fracture toughness, and can absorb and disperse energy, thereby improving the impact resistance of the material. Embedding zirconium oxide particles or fibers into an alumina matrix can significantly improve the toughness of alumina while maintaining its high hardness and wear resistance.

Technical parameters

Product Specifications

Preparation process steps of zirconia toughened alumina ceramics (ZTA)

Preparation of ceramic powder: Use ball mill, ball mill, spray dryer to control the ingredients and prepare ceramic powder.

Pressing of raw materials: Press the raw materials into the required shape and density.

Sintering process: ZTA ceramics are sintered by hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, continuous hot pressing sintering, and other methods.

Which is more durable, zirconia or alumina?

When comparing the durability of zirconia and alumina, multiple factors need to be considered, including hardness, wear resistance, toughness, and specific application scenarios. The following is a detailed comparison of the two:

Hardness

Alumina: Alumina has a Mohs hardness of 9, which is a high-hardness material. This high hardness gives alumina a significant advantage in the manufacture of cutting tools, abrasives, bearings, etc.

Zirconia: Zirconia ceramics have a high hardness, usually reaching 1200-1400HV, which is higher in hardness than alumina ceramics (140-170HV).

Wear resistance

Alumina: Alumina exhibits excellent wear resistance, thanks to its tight crystal structure and strong interatomic bonding. In practical applications, alumina can resist long-term friction and wear, and maintain its shape and performance stability.

Zirconia: Zirconia ceramics have the characteristics of high hardness and low friction coefficient, which can effectively reduce wear and friction losses. Experiments have shown that zirconia ceramics can maintain good wear resistance under harsh working conditions. Its wear resistance is 15 times that of alumina ceramics, and its friction coefficient is only 1/2 of that of alumina ceramics.

Toughness

Alumina: Alumina ceramics have relatively poor toughness and are easily brittle and fractured by external forces.

Zirconia: Zirconia ceramics have good toughness and fracture toughness, can withstand large forces and strains, and are not prone to brittle fracture.

In terms of durability, zirconia and alumina each have their advantages. Alumina is widely used in many fields due to its high hardness and wear resistance, while zirconia occupies an important position in many high-end applications with its higher hardness, better wear resistance and toughness, and a variety of excellent physical properties. Therefore, when selecting materials, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the specific application scenarios and needs

Why is the price of ZTA ceramics (zirconia toughened alumina ceramics) more expensive?

Raw materials and preparation process

High-performance raw materials: ZTA ceramics are mainly composed of two high-performance materials, alumina (Al₂O₃) and zirconium oxide (ZrO₂). These two raw materials themselves have high cost and value, which determines that the basic price of ZTA ceramics will not be low.

Complex preparation process: The preparation of ZTA ceramics requires precise control of the ratio of alumina and zirconia, as well as the use of specific preparation processes (such as powder mixing, molding, sintering, etc.) to ensure the performance of the final product. These complex preparation processes increase production costs, thereby increasing the price of ZTA ceramics.

Performance advantages

High strength and high toughness: Alumina has high hardness and zirconia has good toughness. The two materials are combined to form excellent properties of high strength and high toughness. This enables ZTA ceramics to maintain good stability and reliability under harsh working conditions such as heavy loads, high speeds, and complex stresses.

Excellent wear resistance: ZTA ceramics have higher flexural strength and fracture toughness at room temperature, so they have excellent wear resistance. This feature enables ZTA ceramics to maintain a long service life in severe wear environments.

Corrosion resistance and chemical stability: ZTA ceramics are white, corrosion-resistant, and chemically stable, and can maintain stable performance in various corrosive environments.