What is Zirconium Oxide?
What is Zirconium Oxide and How is it Used?
Zirconium Oxide (ZrO2), also known as Zirconia, boasts the highest mechanical strength and fracture toughness compared to alternative fine grained ceramics. It exists in its monoclinic polymorph at room temperature and used in applications including ceramics and refractories due to its excellent thermal insulation properties.
Properties of Zirconium Oxide
The properties of?Zirconium Oxide?powder is dependent upon the process route used to produce the material. Chemically derived it’s consistent, highly homogeneous and the textural properties carefully controlled. Particle size, surface area and purity are tailored to meet the designated application.
It is also a highly versatile material when combined with other elements. Addition of Yttrium Oxide, Magnesium Oxide, Aluminium Oxide and others can enhance the mechanical, optical or thermal properties of the ceramics produced.
What is Zirconium Oxide used for?
Zirconium Oxide (or Zirconia) products demonstrate good mechanical properties and stability at elevated temperatures. Zirconium oxides also have excellent chemical inertness and resistant to corrosion. All of these properties make zirconium oxide ideal for use in refractory products, ceramics materials and electronic applications.
Zirconium Oxide?is also a highly versatile material when combined with other elements. Addition of yttrium oxide unlocks the tetragonal polymorph and further enhances the mechanical properties and form materials suitable for advanced ceramic applications. These include cutting tools, abrasives, milling media and even medical implants including dental prosthetics.?Further addition of yttrium oxide yields the cubic polymorph and can lead to function ceramics which can conduct oxygen ions. Applications include materials for fuel cells, used in oxygen sensors and cubic zirconia for jewellery. PZT, Glass, bone cement.
Zirconium Oxide doped with magnesium oxide can produce partially stabilized materials which offer thermal resistance and tough materials, ideal for use in refractories.
Zirconium Oxide for electronic applications typically combine zirconia with other metal oxides such as Lead and Titanium oxide to form Lead Zirconium Titanate (PZT). PZT’s are used in ultrasound devices, guidance systems and sensors. Zirconium oxide can also be used in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells either as zirconia or in yttria stabilized form.
Zirconium Oxide Applications
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Refractories
Zirconium Oxides excellent thermal resistance and mechanical properties at elevated temperatures make it the perfect material for refractory applications.
Advanced Ceramics
Yttrium doped zirconium oxide provides enhanced mechanical properties for use in cutting tools, abrasives and milling media due to its high wear resistance.
Medical Products
Zirconium oxide can be used as a radiopacifier in surgical cements due to its low solubility and biocompatibility. Dental implants can also be manufactured from Zirconium Oxide by carefully controlling the level of yttria added to fine tune mechanical strength vs. optical properties.
Glass Ceramics
Cubic zirconia is a fully stabilized Zirconium oxide and can be use for jewellery, however, due to zirconia’s excellent refractive index, it can be used in optical glass formulations to improve its properties.
Electronics
Zirconium Oxide, whether on its own or combined with dopants, find themselves in electronic applications, such as PZT’s and fuel cells.
Luxfer MEL Technologies offers a wide range of?Zirconia based materials for your applications, we’d love to hear about your applications and discuss how our materials can offer you a solution.