Guide to Designing with Advanced Technical Ceramics

Often an engineer unfamiliar with using ceramics will want a direct copy of a component that was originally metal, for example, made in ceramic. Very often this is not the best solution and can unnecessarily increase manufacturing costs and even result in the component not working as desired.

By following these suggestions where possible, the advanced ceramic part will be easier and cheaper to make, saving you time and money, while still delivering a part ‘fit for purpose’.
1. Tolerance dimensions as loosely as possible. If a component can be toleranced at ± 1-3% for example, the part can usually be produced ‘as-sintered’. This then eliminates the need to diamond grind the component, which is one of the most costly stages of manufacture.
2. Avoid features that cause stress concentrations, such as sharp edges and corners, sudden changes in cross-sectional area, and small contact points. Sharp edges and corners should be relieved by chamfers, radii, or undercuts. If possible use tapers to gradually change the cross-sectional area. Provide large contact areas to spread the load.
3. Keep the component form as simple as possible. Ceramic components are fabricated by first forming a low density ‘green’ compact, which is subsequently sintered to full density. This results in shrinkages of up to 30%, which for complicated shapes makes tight dimensional control difficult. In some cases, it may be advantageous to change the form of a non-ceramic part of the design in order to simplify the ceramic component. Alternatively, consider using a modular design, that is, split the component into several smaller, simpler pieces.
4. Keep section or wall thickness as uniform as possible. Large changes in component thickness are another cause of stress concentrations. This can be the case when holes are located off-center, for example. Also, a thin section will densify quicker than a thick section and so warpage or grain growth could occur while the thicker section is still densifying. Grain growth can result in a reduction in strength and should where possible be avoided.
5. Avoid unnecessary diamond grinding. Grinding can cause very high-stress concentrations, which as mentioned above, can cause flaws. However, by optimizing the grinding parameters or by polishing or lapping, this problem can be minimized.
Hopefully, these design tips will give you some points to consider when attempting to incorporate advanced technical ceramics, such as alumian, zirconia, , in your design. Should you need more information, please contact one of our engineering staff or see our materials section for more information on the fine ceramics we manufacture.

Precautions for cleaning and sterilizing alumina ceramic filling pump

Cleaning steps: Clean with purified water, and then rinse with purified water;
Soak the ceramic pump with 1-3%NAOH for 5-15 minutes, which is equivalent to pyrogen removal, and then rinse with injected water.
Sterilization steps: Use high-pressure humid heat steam for sterilization. The sterilization temperature is 121℃, the pressure is 0.1MPA, and the time is 30 minutes (recommended time).

Precautions for cleaning and sterilization:
(I)shall not use fluorine containing chemical solution and stainless steel war, to prevent corrosion of stainless steel parts; When washing, do not pull the ceramic column or plug of the ceramic metering component in the hot water higher than 40℃. The ceramic plug should be removed for washing. Ceramic rod and ceramic plug cannot be exchanged during the washing process; During sterilization, the rotary valve, ceramic plug and metering rod should be placed away in the special washing sterilization box, and the ceramic rod and ceramic plug should be vertically hung for humid heat sterilization; After sterilization, the pump body temperature should be reduced to room temperature before placement operation; Before the pump body temperature drops to room temperature, it should refrain from sudden cooling resulting in pump body cracking and deformation.
(II) If there is yellow dirt in the ceramic pump body and the liquid part, it can be soaked in 10% oxalic acid for 0.5-1 hours, and then washed with water for injection; Because the hardness of ceramic is greater than stainless steel, ceramic and stainless steel war can make the ceramic appearance adhesion to stainless steel, can not be processed clean, probably lead to the filling pump is not smooth or can not move, resulting in damage. Initiate washing and sterilization using non-metallic materials (such as tetrafluoroethylene) as storage containers; When the plunger sleeve, plunger, and slot valve are removed from the mechanical preparation, please put the plunger sleeve vertically, and the plunger slot valve is tied with a rope in the air vertically by gravity to prevent deformation.

Boron nitride components for MOCVD

Hot-pressed hexagonal Boron Nitride is often referred to as “white graphite” since it has similar layer structure as graphite. It has outstanding thermal characteristics: high thermal conductivity and excellent thermal shock resistance. It is stable up to 2000 °C in reducing atmospheres, and up to 900 °C in oxidizing atmospheres. It has features such as highly machinable, low thermal expansion, microwave transparency and high wet resistance to molten metals, slags and glass. Boron nitride ceramic parts are widely used as PVD, MOCVD, MBE system, furnace components, melting crucibles, insulators, washers, nozzles, microwave tubes, heat sink and heat radiation shielding.

An MOCVD reactor is a chamber made of a material that does not react with the chemicals being used. It must also withstand high temperatures. This chamber is composed of reactor walls, a liner, a susceptor, gas injection units, and temperature control units.
In the MOCVD reactor, the substrate is supported by a pedestal, which also acts as a susceptor. The pedestal/susceptor is the primary origin of heat energy in the reaction chamber. Only the susceptor is heated, so gases do not react before they reach the hot wafer surface. The reaction chamber walls in a cold-wall reactor, however, may be indirectly heated by heat radiating from the hot pedestal/susceptor, but will remain cooler than the pedestal/susceptor and the substrate the pedestal/susceptor supports. So Boron Nitride is a good choice because the power density, operating temperature, insulation grade and dielectric strength of heating elements can be greatly improved by using Boron Nitride as an insulator. It is also more economical and reduces thermal inertia. The annular shape reduces the size of the heating system and improves heat transfer.

What should I pay attention to when I use Boron Nitride products?
1. Keep BN products in vacuum package before usage.
2. After vacuum package is removed, store BN products in dry and cool environment. Keep container tightly closed while not in use.
3. BN products are brittle. Please handle with care.

The difference between boron nitride crucible and alumina crucible

As an important part of chemical equipment, crucible is a container for melting and refining liquid metal and heating solid-liquid reaction. It is the basis for ensuring the smooth progress of chemical reactions.
There are many types of crucibles. According to the raw materials, ceramic crucibles can be divided into boron nitride crucibles, alumina crucibles, zirconia crucibles, aluminum nitride crucibles, quartz crucibles, etc. Here we mainly introduce the difference between boron nitride crucibles and alumina crucibles.
The advantages of boron nitride ceramics crucible compared to alumina ceramics crucible are:

1.The temperature is high, and the long-term use temperature of boron nitride under vacuum is 1800 degrees, and the long-term use of 2100 degrees under the protection of the atmosphere. Alumina does not exceed 1700 degrees.
2.Strong thermal shock resistance, rapid cooling and no cracking. The boron nitride ceramics are taken out of the 1000 degrees furnace and quenched by the air blower, and will not crack even if repeated 100 times.
3.It is resistant to acid and alkali corrosion, has strong electrical insulation, and has a resistance to electrical breakdown of 3 to 4 times that of alumina.
4.Boron nitride ceramics do not react with many metals, ceramics, rare earth and other materials. Such as ferrous metal, iron, copper, stainless steel, tantalum, aluminum, tin, chromium, lead, nickel, magnesium, etc., glass melt, soda glass, cryolite, etc., silicon lava: slag, fluoride and the like. It can be used as a container, enamel, setter, etc.
The disadvantages of boron nitride ceramics crucible compared to alumina ceramics crucible are:

1.Boron nitride ceramics have lower strength, hardness and wear resistance than alumina, and are not suitable for use in vibration and friction environments.
2.Boron nitride ceramics should not be used in the air at temperatures exceeding 1000 degrees. Exceeding oxidation, boron nitride can only be used up to 2000 degrees under vacuum or atmosphere protection.

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Ceramic Heater Used in FFF 3D Printer

Innovacera developed ceramic heater used in FFF 3D pinter to replace the metal heaters, which speed up the heating time and improve the printing accuracy and speed.

The Advantages of ceramic heater:
1. Small size;
2. Fast heating rate;
3. More uniform thermal performance, and thermal efficiency;
4. To integrate with thermistor, so as to achieve the purpose of accurate temperature control;
5. To improve the printing accuracy and speed;

MCH heater technology:

Design	Diameter/Length/Width	Tolerance	Thickness
Tube/Rod	D:2.5~12	D: Above 8mm±0.3mm
		Below8mm±0.2mm
	L:10~120	LAbove80±2.0mm
		Below80mm±1.0mm
Plate:Square	L:10~100	Above:70±2mm	0.5~2
	W:5-50	Below:70±1mm
Plate:Round	D:10~70	Above:30±2mm	0.5~2
		Below:30±1mm

Regular size and specification:

NO	Model	Size	Resistance	Voltage	Shape	Material
1	E0863TB	OD6.3*ID5.2*8mm	0.25-0.4Ω	3.7V	Tube	95%Alumina
2	E1416TA	OD16*ID14.4*14mm	0.45-0.65Ω	3.7V	Tube	95%Alumina
3	E13295TA	D2.95*13mm	0.25-0.4Ω	5V	Rod	95%Alumina
4	E13596TA	OD9.6*ID8*13.5mm	0.45-0.6Ω	3.7V	Tube	95%Alumina
5	E112015TA	OD19.85*ID13.3*11mm	0.4-0.6Ω	3.7V	Tube	95%Alumina
6	E131684FA	OD16*ID7*13.8mm	0.4-0.6Ω	3.7V	Tube	95%Alumina
7	E141895TA	OD17.6*ID16.6*14mm	0.5Ω	3.7V	Tube	95%Alumina
8	P1100TB	D11*0.8mm	0.5-0.7Ω	3.7V	Plate	95%Alumina

What’s the Ceramic Heater for Soldering Iron

Innovacera heating element is the PROCESS of MCH (Metal Ceramics Heater). It is the material of tungsten, molybdenum, molybdenum, manganese, and other high melting points Metal heating resistance paste is printed on 92 ~ 96% alumina flow ceramic green billet according to the requirements of heating circuit planning, with 4 ~ 8% sintering agent multi-layer superposition. At 1500 ~ 1600°C under high temperature burning into one body has the advantages of corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, long life, high efficiency and energy saving, uniform temperature, good thermal conductivity, thermal compensation speed, and does not contain lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and other harmful substances, in line with the European Union RoHS environmental protection requirements. It is another generation product after alloy heating wire and PTC heating element.

First, let’s make simply introduce the Soldering Iron. See the picture below for details.
（1）Soldering Iron

（2）Disassembly view (front)

（3）Disassembly view (rear)

And then taking a look at the structure of the ceramic heating core. The outer diameter of the heating core is 3.8mm, which is suitable for a variety of internal heating soldering irons. There is a groove in the outer packaging ceramics, which is beneficial to the sintering of the manufacturing process and the elimination of working thermal stress. At the same time, please pay attention to the terminal at the root, which is relatively firm.
Brief introduction of ceramic heating core:
1) Main specifications:
Size: D3.8*60mm; D3.8*ID1.5*60mm .
Voltage: A:110V/130ohm, resistance deviation: ±10%
B: 220V/420ohm, resistance deviation: ±10%, can rise to 600-700°C power about 30W Heating area 25mm.
2) structure

In addition to the D3.8*60mm specification, we also have a variety of other specifications. Customization is also available.

Applications of precision ceramics in front-end semiconductors

Semiconductor equipment requires a large number of precision ceramic components. Because of the advantages of high hardness, high elastic modulus, high wear resistance, high insulation, corrosion resistance and low expansion, it can be used as parts of silicon wafer polishing machine, epitaxy/oxidation/diffusion heat treatment equipment, photolithography machine, deposition equipment, semiconductor etching equipment, ion implanter and so on. Semiconductor ceramics are alumina, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, boron nitride, and so on, in semiconductor equipment, the value of precision ceramics about 16% .

1. Alumina (Al2O3)
Alumina (Al2O3) is the most widely used ceramic material in semiconductor equipment. It has the advantages of stable material structure, high mechanical strength, high hardness, high melting point, corrosion resistance, good chemical stability, high resistivity, and good electrical insulation. In semiconductor etching equipment, high purity Al2O3 coating or Al2O3 ceramics are mainly used as the protective materials for etching cavity and its inner parts. In addition to the cavity, the plasma equipment gas nozzle, gas distribution plate and fixed ring fixed wafer also need to use alumina ceramics. Ceramic mechanical arms made of alumina ceramics are used in the handling of silicon wafers. From the material price, processing difficulty and other economic aspects, alumina ceramic robot arm cost-effective higher.
In addition, in wafer polishing process, alumina ceramics can be widely used in polishing plate, polishing pad correction platform, vacuum sucker, etc. .
2. Aluminum nitride (ALN)
High purity aluminum nitride ceramics have excellent thermal conductivity, heat resistance, insulation, Coefficient of thermal expansion close to silicon, and excellent plasma resistance. It can be used in heater of wafer heating, electrostatic Chuck, etc..
3. Silicon nitride (Si3N4)
Silicon nitride (Si3N4) is a kind of material with high fracture toughness, high heat shock resistance, high wear resistance, high mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance. It can be used in semiconductor equipment, such as the platform, bearings, and other components.
4. Boron nitride (BN)
BN has the advantages of high resistance, high temperature resistance, high electric breakdown resistance, no pollution, corrosion resistance and easy processing. Can be used in MOCVD equipment insulation heat dissipation, PVD/CVD vacuum coating equipment insulation accessories, ion implantation machine insulation accessories.
5. Silicon carbide (SiC)
Silicon carbide is characterized by high thermal conductivity, high temperature mechanical strength, high stiffness, low Coefficient of thermal expansion, good thermal uniformity, corrosion resistance and wear resistance. Silicon carbide can maintain good strength at extreme temperatures up to 1400 ° C. Because of its high hardness and low wear, and its Coefficient of thermal expansion are almost the same as that of silicon wafers, the lapping disc using silicon carbide ceramics can be lapped and polished at high speed. During the production of silicon wafers, high temperature heat treatment is needed, and silicon carbide jigs are often used to transport them. They are heat-resistant, non-destructive, and can be coated with DLC coatings, which can enhance the performance and alleviate the damage of wafers, at the same time to prevent the spread of pollution.
In addition, silicon carbide ceramics can also be used in XY platform, pedestal, focusing ring, polishing plate, wafer Chuck, vacuum sucker, carrier arm, furnace tube, crystal boat, cantilever propeller.

What is aluminum nitride ceramics

Aluminum nitride (AIN) is known for its high thermal conductivity and excellent electrical insulation properties. It is a common ceramic material used in a variety of electrical devices. In addition to its coefficient of thermal expansion and electrical insulation capabilities, aluminum nitride ceramics are resistant to most molten metals, such as copper, lithium and aluminum.

Properties of aluminum nitride ceramics
Aluminum nitride has a variety of properties that make it suitable for a variety of industrial applications:
High thermal conductivity (above 170 W/mK). This is close to the value of BeO and SiC and more than five times that of aluminum oxide (Al2O3).
Its coefficient of thermal expansion is 4.5 *10-6°C, the same as that of silicon (3.5-4 *10-6°C).
It has good light transmission properties
It is not toxic.
Good electrical conductivity. Aluminum nitride’s electrical properties include its dielectric constant, dielectric loss, bulk resistivity and dielectric strength – all of which make it an excellent insulating material.
Good mechanical properties: Aluminum’s mechanical properties are also responsible for its widespread use in industrial processes. It has a higher flexural strength than aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and beryllium oxide (BeO) ceramics.
Wide range of aluminum nitride ceramics
Aluminum nitride ceramics are used in many applications because of their good properties, including high thermal conductivity, low dielectric constant and dielectric loss, high dielectric strength, and significant resistance to plasma erosion.
Chip heat dissipation and support
Aluminum nitride ceramic substrates (ceramic trays) in semiconductor devices
Aluminum nitride etch shielding
Aluminum nitride evaporation boats for OLEDs
Also used for packaging of various electronic components

What is PTC Heaters

Definition:
A positive temperature coefficient heating element (PTC heating element) or self-regulating heater is an electrical resistance heater whose resistance increases significantly with temperature. The name self-regulating heater comes from the tendency of such heating elements to maintain a constant temperature.
PTC heating elements are a type of thermistor.

Advantages of PTC heaters:
1.The surface temperature of PTC ceramic heater can be controlled automatically.
2.Good voltage shock resistance, the highest withstand voltage can reach more than 1300VDC, which ensures the reliability of components working under high voltage for a long time.
3.The temperature rises rapidly at low temperature, and it can start quickly even if the ambient temperature reaches -40 degrees.
4.The power aging is extremely small under high DC voltage, and it can still maintain a good heating effect after long-term use.
5.Curie temperature and PTC size can be adjusted arbitrarily according to customer requirements, ranging from 60 degrees to 315 degrees.
6. Long service life
7. Aluminum spraying, screen printing aluminum, silver, welding and other electrode layers are produced and supplied at the same time.
Applications:
1.Heating or defrosting in air conditioners, pure electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, or for heating battery boxes.
2.Liquid and solid mosquito coils and incense perfumes.
3.Air heaters, bathroom heaters, coffee pots and foot baths and other small household appliances.
Innovacera offer ceramic heater solutions for customers, if you have any inquiry, pls feel free to send to us.