Ceramic Material Datasheets

Precision Ceramics offers a wide range of advanced technical ceramic materials. We provide high performance customized ceramic solutions for the most demanding environments and applications. On this page, you can find the ceramic material datasheets that include the information and specifications for the majority of our ceramic materials.

Alumina (Al2O3) – CeramAlox™

Alumina CeramAlox Brand Image

Alumina

CeramAlox

Alumina CeramAlox Brand Image

Alumina

CeramAlox Ultra Pure

Aluminum Nitride (AlN) – CeramAlum™

Aluminum Nitride PCAN1000S Brand Image

Aluminum Nitride

PCAN1000S Substrate

Aluminum Nitride PCAN1000 Brand Image

Aluminum Nitride

PCAN1000

Aluminum Nitride PCAN2000 Brand Image

Aluminum Nitride

PCAN2000

Aluminum Nitride PCAN3000 Brand Image

Aluminum Nitride

PCAN3000

Aluminum Nitride PCAN4000 Brand Image

Aluminum Nitride

PCAN4000

Shapal Hi M Soft™

Shapal Hi M Soft

Shapal Hi M Soft™

Machinable Aluminum Nitride

Boron Nitride (BN)

Boron Nitride Grade A Brand Image

Boron Nitride

Grade A

Boron Nitride Grade AX05 Brand Image

Boron Nitride

Grade AX05

Boron Nitride Grade HP Brand Image

Boron Nitride

Grade HP

Boron Nitride Grade M/M26 Brand Image

Boron Nitride

Grade M & M26

Boron Nitride Grade ZSBN Brand Image

Boron Nitride

Grade ZSBN

Boron Nitride Grade PCBN1000 Brand Image

Boron Nitride

PCBN1000

Boron Nitride Grade PCBN2000 Brand Image

Boron Nitride

PCBN2000

Boron Nitride Grade PCBN3000 Brand Image

Boron Nitride

PCBN3000

Boron Nitride Grade PCBN4000 Brand Image

Boron Nitride

PCBN4000

Boron Nitride Grade PCBN5000 Brand Image

Boron Nitride

PCBN5000

Boron Carbide / Silicon Carbide (B4C-SiC) – DuraShock™ & DuraWear™

DuraShock Ballistic Armor

Boron Carbide / Silicon Carbide Composite

DuraShock

DuraWear Brand Image

Boron Carbide / Silicon Carbide Composite

DuraWear

Silicon Carbide (SiC) – CeramaSil-C™

Silicon Carbide CeramaSil-C Brand Image

Silicon Carbide

CeramaSil-C

Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) – CeramaSil-N™

Silicon Nitride CeramaSil-N Brand Image

Silicon Nitride

CeramaSil-N

Silicon Nitride PCSN1000 Brand Image

Silicon Nitride

PCSN1000

Silicon Nitride PCSN2000 Brand Image

Silicon Nitride

PCSN2000

Silicon Nitride PCSN3000 Brand Image

Silicon Nitride

PCSN3000

Silicon Nitride PCSN4000 Brand Image

Silicon Nitride

PCSN4000

Macor ® – Machinable Glass Ceramic

Macor Brand Image

Macor

Machinable Glass Ceramic

Zirconia (ZrO2) – CeramaZirc™

Zirconia CeramaZirc Ultra Tough Brand Image

Zirconia

CeramaZirc Ultra Tough

Zirconia CeramaZirc Ultra Tough HIP Brand Image

Zirconia

CeramaZirc Ultra Tough HIP

Zirconia CeramaZirc 3YC Brand Image

Zirconia

CeramaZirc 3YZ

Zirconia CeramaZirc Nano HIP Brand Image

Zirconia

CeramaZirc Nano HIP

Zirconia Toughened Alumina (Zr-Al2O3) – CeramAlloy ZTA™

CeramAlloy ZTA

Zirconia Toughened Alumina

CeramAlloy ZTA

CeramAlloy Ultra Hard

Zirconia Toughened Alumina

CeramAlloy Ultra Hard

Alumina Toughened Zirconia (Al2O3-Zr) – CeramAlloy ATZ™

CeramAlloy ATZ Brand Image

Alumina Toughened Zirconia

CeramAlloy ATZ

Need help?

Not sure which ceramic material is right for your application? Learn more about technical ceramics, check out our ceramic materials comparison guide, or contact us and we’ll be more than happy to help out.

Interactive Materials Chart

Material Chart Thumbnail

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are technical ceramics?

    Ceramics, defined by the broad definition of “inorganic solids”, are one of the main classes of materials, along with metals, polymers, and composites. There are several different types of ceramics, with technical ceramics (also known as engineered ceramics or advanced ceramics) being the group with the highest performing mechanical, electrical, and/or thermal properties. Their high performance is due in part to their extremely high purities which are most commonly metal compounds combined with oxides, carbides, or nitrides. Ceramics have the ability to increase product lifespan, increase efficiency, reduce overall maintenance costs, and improve performance.

  • What are the advantages of technical ceramics?

    High Hardness

    One of the most common properties of engineered ceramics is extreme hardness (& stiffness) – some are more than 4 times harder than stainless steel. This high hardness directly translates into excellent wear resistance, meaning that many technical ceramics have the ability to keep their precise, high-tolerance finish much longer than any other material.

    Extreme Compressive Strength

    Technical ceramics have very high strength, however, this is only when compressed. For example, many technical ceramics can withstand extremely high loads ranging from 1000 to 4000 MPa. Titanium on the other hand, which is regarded as a very strong metal, only has 1000 MPa of compressional strength.

    Low Density

    Another common property of technical ceramics is their low density, ranging from 2 to 6 g/cc. This is significantly lighter than stainless steel (8 g/cc) and titanium (4.5 g/cc) with only the much softer aluminum being similar in density. Due to their high hardness and low weight, technical ceramics are increasingly being used in a variety of industries in applications where no other material can match their performance & long life.

    Excellent Wear Resistance

    Many technical ceramics are able to withstand incredibly high temperatures while still retaining their mechanical & electrical properties. Where all metals and polymers will start to compromise their properties, technical ceramics will continue to function with consistent performance and reliability. This property makes ceramics appropriate for use in very high temperature applications like furnaces, jet engines, brake systems, and cutting tools.

    Excellent Electrical Properties

    Technical ceramics tend to be excellent electric insulators (high dielectric strength). They are especially useful in high-temperature applications where other materials’ mechanical & thermal properties tend to degrade. Some ceramics have low electrical loss & high dielectric permittivity; these are typically used in electronic applications like capacitors and resonators. Additionally, the ability to combine an insulator with a structural component has lead to many product innovations.

    Ultra-High-Temperature Ability

    Technical ceramics can function in situations where no metal (or nearly any other material) can maintain their properties. Some ceramics can operate in temperatures in excess of 1750°C, putting them in a class of their own as ultra-high-temperature materials. These ceramics have proven to be invaluable in high-temperature applications like engines, turbines, & bearings where they have increased the lifespan, performance, and efficiency.

    Thermally Conductive or Insulative

    Different types of technical ceramic materials have wildly varying thermal properties. There are some ceramics (Aluminum Nitride) that are highly thermally conductive and are commonly used as heat-sinks or exchangers in many electrical applications. Other ceramics are much less thermally conductive, making them suitable for a wide range of applications.

    Chemically Inert & Corrosion Resistant

    Technical Ceramics are very chemically stable and have low chemical solubility, making them highly resistant to corrosion. Metals and polymers cannot offer the same inertness or corrosion resistance, making ceramics a highly attractive option in many commercial and industrial applications, particularly when wear resistance is also needed.

  • What are the drawbacks of technical ceramics?

    Poor Shear & Tensile Strength

    With all of these advantageous properties, you may be wondering why we do not see technical ceramics more frequently. This is due to a variety of reasons, but mostly because other types of strength are tensile and shear; this is where technical ceramics strength can be 15 times less than those of metals.

    High Brittleness

    Another issue that can arise with technical ceramics is that they can be very brittle due to their low ductility. This means that technical ceramics have very poor impact resistance. This property is caused by technical ceramics unique atomic bonds. Metals have “metallic” bonds which are relatively low strength, however, they can bond with atoms in any direction. This ability to have many multi-directional bonds is what makes metals ductile, tough, and relatively strong. Ceramics obviously do not have metallic bonds, instead they have ionic and covalent bonds – these are very strong, however they can only bond in very specific directions. This highly organized bonding structure means that it is difficult for the atomic structure to shift, making ceramics not malleable.

    Difficult to Design

    Every type of technical ceramic has specific thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties that can vary dramatically depending on the operating conditions & product design. In fact, even the manufacturing process of the exact same type of technical ceramic material can drastically change its properties.

  • Do you supply or work with other materials that are not listed on your website?

    Precision Ceramics is unusual as we offer the full range of technical ceramics from machinable grades like Macor and Shapal through to materials that require diamond grinding like alumina, zirconia, carbides and nitrides. We can machine and supply virtually any ceramic material – please contact us with your specific requirements for more information. Our goal it to optimize the material selection and design for the customer, rather than what is right for our capability.

  • Can you help me with material selection and design of ceramics?

    Yes we can. We have a competent team of technical sales staff with many years’ experience that can help you chose the right material. Whether it is for wear, thermal management, electrical properties, or something else, we can help you by designing an appropriate component for ceramic manufacture from simple suggestions to more complex solutions. Contact us with details of your application and one of our engineers will be happy to help you.