Magnesium Stabilized Zirconia Ceramics (MSZ)

-Unique Advantages in Modern Technology

As an advanced ceramic material, magnesium-stabilized zirconia ceramic (MSZ) has the characteristics of high melting point, high hardness, excellent wear resistance, high toughness, good thermal stability, corrosion resistance and high strength. It has wide application prospects in the fields of aerospace, energy, medical equipment, and electronics, providing new possibilities for the development of modern science and technology.

 

 

Basic characteristics of zirconia ceramics

Zirconia ceramic is a ceramic material with high melting point, high hardness, and excellent wear resistance. It has the following basic characteristics:

1) High melting point: The melting point of zirconia ceramic is as high as 2700°C, giving it excellent stability in high temperature environments.

2) High hardness: Zirconia ceramic has extremely high hardness and can resist scratches and wear, maintaining its long-term stability.

3) Excellent wear resistance: Zirconia ceramic has excellent wear resistance, allowing it to perform well in various harsh environments.

2. Advantages of Magnesium Stabilized Zirconia Ceramics (MSZ)

Magnesium-stabilized zirconia ceramics (MSZ) are based on zirconia ceramics, and their performance is further improved by adding an appropriate amount of magnesium stabilizer. Magnesium stabilized zirconia ceramics (MSZ) have the following advantages:

• High toughness
• Good thermal stability
• Excellent corrosion resistance
• High strength

3. Application of magnesium-stabilized zirconia ceramics (MSZ) in the field of modern science and technology

The following are the applications of magnesium stabilized zirconia ceramics (MSZ) in different fields:

1) Aerospace

2) Energy

3) Medical devices

4) Electronics

 

 

4. Materials Propertiesof magnesium-stabilized zirconia ceramics (MSZ)

Item	Properties	Unit	Value
	Color		Ivory / Gray-White
Mechanical Properties	Density	g/cm3	5.70-5.75
	Vickers hardness	Gpa	11-12
	Three point bending strength	Mpa	500
	Fracture toughness KIC	Mpa•m1/2	6-10
Thermal properties	Thermal conductivity	W/mK	2-3
	Thermal expansion coefficient	1×106/℃	10
	Thermal shock temperature	℃	350
	Maximum operating temperature	℃	1000

Machinable Aluminum Nitride BAN

BAN combines Aluminum Nitride with Boron Nitride, a hybrid machinable Aluminum Nitride ceramic with excellent thermal conductivity, high strength, and resistance to thermal shock. Innovacera provides BAN, and it has very similar properties to SHAPAL material. SHAPAL is a trademark of Tokuyama Corporation.

 

These ceramics are used in various industries, including electronics, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, automotive and medical. BAN ceramics have properties that make them suitable for applications such as heat sinks, heater substrates, semiconductor processing components, and optical equipment.

 

Material Advantages:

• High mechanical strength.
• High thermal conductivity.
• Low thermal expansion.
• Low dielectric loss.
• Excellent electrical insulation.
• High corrosion resistance–non-wetted by molten metals.
• Excellent Machinabilit–BAN can be machined to high-precision complex shapes.
• It has excellent sealing ability to vacuum and hasn’t given off much gas.
• High-frequency wave properties, allow visible infra-red light to pass through easily.

Material Properties:

 

Properties	Units	BAN
Main Composition	/	BN+ALN
Color	/	Greyish- Green
Density	g/cm3	2.8~2.9
Three-Point Bending Strength	MPa	90
Compressive Strength	MPa	220
Thermal Conductivity	W/m·k	85
Thermal Expansion Coefficient (20-1000℃)	10-6/K	2.8
Max Using Temperature	In Atmosphere ℃	900
	In Inactive Gas ℃	1750
	In High Vacuum ℃	1750

 

 

Applications

• Heat sinks
• Vacuum components
• Components where low dielectric constant and dissipation factor are required
• Parts and components where a low coefficient of thermal expansion is required
• Electronic components where electrical insulation and heat dissipation are required
• Electric propulsion discharge channels for Hall Effect Thrusters

 

INNOVACERA provides a series of Boron Nitride composites, we provide our customers with a lot of solutions. If you’re looking for a high thermal conductivity and high strength solution for your application, please get in touch with us to learn more about our full range of products and how we can help you meet your thermal management needs.

How to choose setter plate for metal injection molding (MIM)

Powder Injection Molding (PIM) is a component manufacturing process focused on forming complex-shaped, high-performance components in production quantities from metals and ceramics, metal injection molding(MIM) and ceramic injection molding(CIM). It is a combination of plastic molding and sintered powders technology.

 

 

What is Metal injection molding(MIM)

 

 

Metal injection molding (MIM) merges two established technologies, plastic injection molding and powdered metallurgy.

This frees designers from the traditional constraints associated with trying to shape stainless steel, nickel iron, copper, titanium and other metals.

Most common engineering alloys are possible to produce by MIM, but about 30 alloys dominate the applications. The most popular alloys are surgical stainless steel (commonly called 17-4 PH, or American Iron and Steel Institute 630 or AISI 630) and austenitic stainless steels (AISI 304L and AISI 316L).

What is the process of Metal injection molding

 

 

Step 1: Feedstock

Very fine metal powders are combined with thermoplastic and wax binders in a precise recipe. A proprietary compounding process creates a homogenous pelletized feedstock that can be injection molded just like plastic.

Step 2: Tooling

The tool cavity or mold for MIM is constructed as an enlargement of the final part. The space taken up by binder in the feedstock is annihilated by sintering. This is evident in that the final component is usually about 20% smaller than the tool cavity.

MIM tooling usually is hardened steel, such as S7 or H13. For lower volume or “bridge” tooling P20 can be used, when heat treated, this steel has some wear resistance. Harder tool steels are used for tooling for high production quantity situations.

 

 

Step 3: Molding

The feedstock is heated and injected into a mold cavity under high pressure. This enables us to using like injection mold to produce extremely complex shapes.

After molded, the component is call “green” part. Its geometry is identical to the finished piece but is about 20% larger to allow for shrinkage during the final sintering phase.

 

 

Step 4: Debinding

Binder removal (debinding) involves a controlled process to remove most of the binders and prepare the part for the final step – sintering.

Once debinding is complete, the component is referred to as “brown.”

Step 5: Sintering

The brown part is held together by a small amount of the binder, and is very fragile.

Sintering eliminates the remaining binder and gives the part its final geometry and mechanical strength.During sintering, the part is subjected to temperatures near the melting point of the material.

 

 

What is the key control point in sintering process

 

 

Control carbon potential is the key point in MIM sintering process, control carbon potential will improve the higher quality products and lowering the cost of production, enhancing customer satisfaction, and expanding the current and future market penetration of MIM.

The ceramic setter plate is the best choose in sintering process for Metal Injection Molding, there is there ceramic materials choose for MIM setter plate:

• Aluminum Oxide(Al₂O₃) ceramic setter plate: lower cost and its the most popular ceramic setter plate for Metal Injection Molding, max service temperature up to 1600°C(in air).

• Boron Nitride(HBN) ceramic setter plate:soft like graphite called “white graphite”, medium cost, long service life time, and used as setter plate for sintering high temperature up to 2100°C(Insert Gas).

• Aluminum Nitride (AlN) ceramic setter plate: AlN ceramics is the basis for low lateral temperature differences and results in homogeneous thermal distribution within the sintering components.

 

Ceramic Setter Plate Properties:

Properties	A-997 Aluminum Oxide	HBN Boron Nitride	AN-170 Aluminum Nitride
Color	Ivory	White	Dark Gray
Porosity Vol	0~10%	25%	0
Main Content	99.7%	99.7%	95%
Bulk Density (g/cm3)	3.9	1.6	3.3
Bending Strength (MPa)	320-340	18	382.7
Coefficient Linear Thermal Expansion (X10-6/℃)	7.6	1.5	2.805
Max Using Temperature (℃)	1600	2100	1850

How to choose the suitable ceramic setter plate for MIM

As setter plates, alumina, boron nitride and aluminum nitride ceramics offer decisive advantages over conventional setters made from materials like graphite or tungsten. This enables energy and cost-efficient processing of high-precision sintering components.

 

Ceramic sintering tray and setter plates assist optimally array and fix molded parts in a sintering furnace to prevent brown part deformations during the firing process.

Roughness

Lower surface roughness ensures optimum gliding for molded parts. The smooth, particle-free surface also protects parts from contamination from the setters.

Thermal conductivity

High thermal conductivity of alumina ceramic, boron nitride and especially aluminum nitride ceramics is the basis for low lateral temperature differences and results in homogeneous thermal distribution within the sintering components. Excellent thermal shock resistance is another added benefit, which enables faster firing cycles.

High thermal resistance

This has a positive effect on the energy efficiency of the firing processes. Highly thermally resistant materials like advanced ceramics result in lower thicknesses of the setters, which improves energy efficiency because there is less thermal ballast. In addition, ceramic setter plates can also be used at temperatures far above 2100°C.

Inert surfaces

Advanced ceramics make using releasing agents or protective layers such as coatings obsolete, because there are no contact reactions with metals. Thus, these setter plates also have a long life time and do not require reconditioning. For example, molten metals cannot wet aluminum nitride ceramics. Aluminum nitride and ultrapure alumina (> 99%) can be used both in protective gas atmospheres and reduction atmospheres. They are also stable in reactive atmospheres and in hydrogen atmospheres.

High mechanical stability

This property, paired with low thermal capacity, not only results in a lower weight with a reduced tray volume; it also retains very little residual heat during the cooling process. This has a positive impact on energy consumption during firing.

 

 

The maximum dimensions, such as 350 x 350 mm with HBN, enable a high packing density. These setter plates can be stacked – with integrated cavities on request – thereby ensuring fast, effective sintering furnace charging. This makes optimal use of furnace volume and energy expenditure, which results in a fully energetically optimized sintering process.

 

The ceramic setter plates can be used in ceramic injection molding (CIM), metal injection molding (MIM) and low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC). Recesses and customized designs are further cost-efficient options that are available on request.

 

If you have any question about the ceramic setter plates, welcome to contact us at sales@innovacera.com.

Q&A Regarding MCH Heater

1. What is MCH heater？

MCH heater is the abbreviation of metal ceramic heaters.

It refers to a ceramic heating element in which a meta tungsten or molybdenum manganese paste is printed on a ceramic casting body and laminated by hot pressing and then co-fired at 1600°C, in a hydrogen atmosphere to co-sinter ceramic and metal.

2.What is the advantages of MCH heater?

MCH ceramic heating element is high-efficiency, environmentally friendly, and energy-saving. ceramic heating element, which is mainly used to replace the most widely used alloy wire heating elements and PTC heating elements and components.

Technical characteristics:

• Energy-saving, high thermal efficiency, unit heat power consumption is 20-30% less than PTC;
• The surface is safe and non-harged, with good insulation performance, can withstand the withstand voltage test of 4500V/1S, no breakdown, and leakage current <0.5mA;
• No impulse peak current; no power attenuation; rapid heating; safe, no open flame;
• Good thermal uniformity, high power density, and long service life.

3.Resistance Ratio VS Temperature

4.Is it possible to have a built-in sensing resistor in MCH heater?

Yes, In some specific designs, built-in sensing resistors can be done, see below case.

5. How is the lead wire connected? 

There are  two methods to be done:

One is brazing technology, material used is silver copper, brazing temperature is 900°C; temperature resisting is 300°C which is recommended.

Another is soldering technology which temperature resisting is 200°C.

If you have more questions, pls contact with us.

 

LaB6 Ceramics

LaB6 Ceramic is an inorganic non- metallic compound composed of low-valence boron and the rare metal element lanthanum. It is a refractory ceramic that could resist high temperature and harsh environments. LaB6 ceramic has lots of applications due to its ideal thermal, chemical, and electronic properties.
As LaB6 ceramic has the characteristics of high emission current density and low evaporation rate at high temperature, it always work as a cathode material with superior performance and has gradually replaced some tungsten cathodes in industrial applications.

 

Features:
1. Excellent thermal shock resistance
2. Good electrical conductivity
3. Excellent chemical and oxidation resistance
4.High electron emissivities
5.Stable in Vacuum

 

Applications:
• Scanning Electron Microscopes
• Transmission Electron Microscopes
• Electron Micro Probe Analyzers
• Electron Lithography Systems
• Electron Accelerators
• Thermal Cathode

Here is the LaB6 Disc:
It has good performance like high conductivity, good stability and slow evaporation rate, which is used as the cathode material in many field of modern technology such as plasma generators, mass spectrometers, electronic micromirrors and electronics.
LaB6 disc is used
1. manufacturing components such as nozzles, turbine blades, and combustion chambers for aerospace engines.
2. Used as corrosion-rsistant seals and valve components for handling corrosive media and process fluids under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions.
3. Used to fabricate nuclear fuel elements, control rods, and reactor components.
4. Used as refractory materials for furnaces and smelting equipment.
Used to produce high-temperature capacitors, heating elements, and dielectric support materials.

Technical Data of LaB6

Product	LaB6
Lot Number	IN20230403-01-02
Analysis Item	Impurity Element Content
Analytical Technique	Inductively
Test Result	Chemical Composition	Test Result (ppm)
	B	31.25
	La	68.47
	Ce	10
	Pr	12
	Nd	10
	Sm	15
	Y	10
	Fe	25
	Si	11
	Ca	8
	Pb	10
	Mo	10
	Si	10
	Mn	5
	P	5
	S	3
	Particle Size	-300 mesh

Purity>99.5%

Density>4.15g/cm3

Innovacera can provide high purity LaB6 with competitive price. If you have the need, just feel free to contact us.

What are the applications of boron nitride in aerospace?

Boron nitride has a wide range of applications in aerospace, helping to improve the performance, reliability and safety of aerospace vehicles.

1. High-temperature protective coatings: Boron nitride has excellent high-temperature stability and oxidation resistance, making it an ideal coating material for high-temperature components in rocket engines and aircraft gas turbine engines. It can protect these parts from high temperatures and corrosive environments.
   2. Reinforced composites: Boron nitride can be used as a reinforcing phase and combined with other materials to form high-performance composites. These composites can be used to manufacture structural parts for aircraft and spacecraft to improve their strength, stiffness and durability.
   3. Lightweight composites: Because boron nitride has the properties of lightweight, high strength and corrosion resistance, it can be combined with other materials to form lightweight composites. These materials have a wide range of applications in the aerospace field, such as spacecraft structures, satellite components and aircraft fuselages.
   4. Lubricants: Boron nitride as a lubricant can be applied to various friction and contact surfaces in the aerospace field, such as engine parts, gears and bearings. It has excellent lubricating properties and oxidation resistance, and can maintain effective lubrication under extreme temperature and pressure conditions.
2. Space radiation shielding: Boron nitride can be used to manufacture space radiation shielding materials to protect astronauts and spacecraft from radiation in space.

 

In the aerospace field, the application examples of boron nitride are as follows:

1. Coating of combustion chambers and nozzles of rocket motors: Because of its excellent high-temperature stability and oxidation resistance, boron nitride can be applied as a coating to the combustion chambers and nozzles of rocket motors in order to improve their heat and ablation resistance. This application can extend the service life of the engine and improve the safety and reliability of rocket launches.
2. Coatings for satellite solar panels: Solar panels on satellites need to withstand extreme temperatures and environmental conditions. Boron nitride coatings can be applied to the surface of solar panels to provide resistance to radiation and protection, thereby increasing their stability and efficiency.
3. Reinforced composites for aircraft engine components: Aircraft engine components require high-strength and high-temperature resistant materials. By combining boron nitride with other materials, it is possible to form reinforced composites that are used to manufacture components such as blades, ducts and  turbines for aircraft engines. This application can improve the performance and reliability of engines and extend their service life.
4. Thermal insulation for space probes: Space probes are exposed to extremely high temperatures and radiation environments in space. Boron nitride can be used as an insulating material to protect the sensitive parts of space probes from high temperatures and radiation. This application ensures the proper functioning of the detectors and extends their service life.

 

The above are some summaries for reference only.

If you need more detailed information about the material, please contact us.

sales@innovacera.com

 

Cynosure Elite Plus Laser Head Cavity Ceramic Laser Cavity Ceramic Reflector

The ceramic laser cavity is a type of laser cavity made from alumina ceramic materials. It is an integral part of a laser system, creating and maintaining the lasing action. Ceramic laser reflectors are high-efficiency diffuse reflectors.  Near-perfect diffuse reflection and high reflection efficiency are effectively exploited in laser systems where the pump band of the laser host is in the spectral range of 500 nm to 1200 nm.

 

Cynosure Elite Plus Laser Head Cavity Ceramic Laser Cavity Ceramic Reflector

Alumina ceramic materials are preferred for laser cavities due to their high thermal conductivity, excellent mechanical properties, and resistance to thermal shock. Innovacera laser reflectors compared to PTFE polymer reflectors, metal reflectors and packed barium powder diffuse reflectors with several desirable characteristics:

1. Efficient reflection eliminates the need for high-precision focusing reflectors
2. There will be no coating peeling off like specular metal reflectors.
3. Ceramic reflectors are not susceptible to localized catastrophic damage from surface contaminants absorbing radiation.
4. The light field inside the cavity is highly uniform and the output beam profile is more uniform.
5. Dimensionally stable
6. The glass surface is corrosion-resistant and allows direct contact with coolant. The full cavity is easily achieved, so the laser head is simple, compact and low-cost.
7. The ceramic material is strong and durable, resisting breakage when the flash explodes.

8.Long operational lifetime

9.High laser output

 

Ceramic laser cavities are widely used in various applications, including materials processing, laser cutting, medical lasers, scientific research, and defense systems. Their excellent thermal and mechanical properties make them suitable for high-power laser operation while maintaining stability and longevity.

Innovacera At Ceramitec 2024

Innovacera’s team is at Ceramitec 2024 from April 9-12 in Mess Munchen Exhibition Center booth No.A6 145. We had an excellent first day. It is good to see the new and old business partner and friend. Thank you for coming to see us from all over the world like France, UK, Spain, Italy,Switzerland, Korea, Singapore.

 

Innovacera Advance Ceramic Material will show: Alumina Ceramic, Zirconia Ceramic, Aluminum Nitride, Boron Nitride Ceramic, Porous Ceramic, Silicon Nitride Ceramics, Beryllia Ceramics, Machinable Glass Ceramic, Silicon Carbide Ceramics.

 

Innovacera cordially invites all old customers, industry professionals, partners, and enthusiasts to visit booth No.A6 145 at Ceramitec 2024.

 

Why Aluminum Nitride Heater Plate Is Very Difficult To Make

Aluminum nitride ceramic heating plates are widely used in the semiconductor industry. The size is generally 8 inches. The demand for aluminum nitride ceramic heating plates is very tight, but there are very few manufacturers that can process aluminum nitride ceramic heating plates. The main reason is that the aluminum nitride ceramic heating plate is very difficult to process. So why is the aluminum nitride ceramic heating plate difficult to process?

First, we need to understand what the aluminum nitride ceramics are:

 

Experts in the ceramic industry know that aluminum nitride ceramics are advanced ceramic materials that have high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties and are widely used in the electronics industry.

 

Aluminum nitride crystal belongs to the hexagonal crystal system. It is a covalently bonded compound with tetrahedron as the structural unit and has a wurtzite structure. At the same time, it is also a high-temperature resistant ceramic material. Its single crystal thermal conductivity is about 5 times that of alumina. It can be used in an environment of 2200°C and has good thermal shock resistance.

 

At the same time, aluminum nitride is resistant to corrosion by metals in the molten state and is almost unstable by acids. Because the aluminum nitride surface reacts to form an extremely thin oxide film when exposed to moist air, takeing advantage of this property and use it as a crucible and firing mold material for the smelting of aluminum, copper, silver, lead and other metals. Also because aluminum nitride ceramics have better metallization properties, they can replace toxic beryllium oxide ceramics and are widely used in the electronics industry.

 

The chemical formula of aluminum nitride is AlN, and its chemical composition is about 65.81% AI and 34.19% N. Its powder is generally white or off-white, and it is colorless and transparent in the single crystal state. Its sublimation decomposition temperature under normal pressure reaches 2450°C.

 

The thermal conductivity of aluminum nitride ceramics is between 170~210 W / (m.k), and the thermal conductivity of single crystal can be as high as 275 W / (m.k) or more. High thermal conductivity (>170W/m·K), close to BeO and SiC; thermal expansion coefficient (4.5×10-6℃) is similar to Si (3.5~4×10-6℃) and GaAs (6×10-6℃) Matching; excellent various electrical properties (dielectric constant, dielectric loss, volume resistivity, dielectric strength); good mechanical properties, higher flexural strength than Al2O3 and BeO ceramics, can be sintered at normal pressure; can be produced by tape casting process.

 

Aluminum nitride ceramics is a hard and brittle material. It is very difficult to process after sintered. Its various properties are superior to other ceramic materials, which also means that its processing difficulty is higher than other ceramics. There is another fatal difficulty in processing aluminum ceramics which is it is very brittle and very easy to have white edges.

 

Under this circumstance, it has become extremely difficult to make ceramic heating plates from aluminum nitride. An 8-inch aluminum nitride ceramic heating plate is approximately a disc with a diameter of 315mm and a thickness of 19mm. The aluminum nitride material used to make the heating plate needs to be larger than this size. In the processing industry, this size is very large. In the processing center It is very easy to damage the entire material when the slot is empty.

 

The processing cost of such a large aluminum nitride ceramic material is very high. If there is a slight problem in a certain detail, the entire material will be scrapped. So the risk is also very high when processing aluminum nitride heating plates. If a piece of material is damaged, the manufacturer will lose all its money, so many manufacturers are not willing to take this risk, which results in very few manufacturers processing aluminum nitride heating plates.

Boron Nitride Ceramic Evaporation Boat Sets For Thermal Evaporation

In the realm of materials science and manufacturing, thermal evaporation stands as a fundamental process for depositing thin films of various substances onto substrates. Whether in the domain of scientific research or industrial production, the efficiency and precision of thermal evaporation are very important. To meet the demands of this critical process, boron nitride ceramic evaporation boat sets emerge as indispensable tools, offering excellent performance and versatility.

Innovacera offers an extensive selection of boron nitride ceramic evaporation boat sets, readily available for purchase. The remarkable sales volume of this series has surpassed 10,000 units, attesting to its popularity and reliability. The BN ceramic evaporation boat, functioning equivalently to internally heated ceramic containers, caters to a wide spectrum of metal evaporation processes, encompassing precious metals like gold and silver, as well as various other metals and alloys including copper, zinc, nickel, and chromium.

Notably, this boron nitride evaporation boat ensures the complete evaporation of most metals without any loss, with the added advantage of re-usability for the evaporation tungsten basket. Our innovatively developed ceramic evaporation boats offer a novel solution for thermal evaporation needs, serving as invaluable assets for scientific research and metal production requirements alike. Available in sizes ranging from 0.25ml to 3ml, these boats provide versatility to suit diverse application needs.

Innovacera specializes in the development and production of boron nitride products, primarily manufacturing ceramic insulating components, crucibles, tubes, rings, sheets, shaped parts, boats, nozzles, and other boron nitride ceramic products. These products have found successful implementation in ultra-high-tech applications across various fields, including ultra-high temperature equipment production, powder metallurgy gas atomization processing, thermal plastic molding, optical glass manufacturing, horizontal continuous casting, amorphous strip production, technical ceramic components sintering, fluorescent powder sintering, metal casting, electronics industry, superhard materials development, semiconductor fabrication, and aerospace technology applications.

The distinctive features of boron nitride ceramic evaporation boats contribute significantly to their effectiveness in thermal evaporation processes:

• High Purity: Boron nitride ceramic ensures the purity of the evaporated material, minimizing contamination and enhancing the quality of the deposited thin films.
• Low gas content: BN boats is the minimal presence of gases within the material of the evaporation boats, which can otherwise interfere with the evaporation process or lead to contamination of the deposited thin films
• High density: High-density materials are more robust and can withstand the mechanical stresses and thermal cycling inherent in thermal evaporation operations
• Uniform grain: A uniform grain structure ensures homogeneous properties throughout the material, including thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and chemical stability.
• Good compactness: the tight packing of grains within the boron nitride ceramic material, resulting in a dense and homogeneous structure.
• Complete Evaporation: The design of boron nitride ceramic evaporation boats facilitates the thorough evaporation of most metals without any loss, ensuring maximum efficiency in material utilization.