Advantages of Zirconia Ceramics

Zirconia ceramics (ZrO₂) have demonstrated significant advantages in industrial, medical, and high-end technology fields due to their unique material properties.

The following is a systematic summary of its core advantages:

Ⅰ、Performance

  1、Excellent mechanical performance

  Ultra high toughness

  Through the phase transformation toughening mechanism (3Y-TZP), the fracture toughness reaches 8-12 MPa · m ², which is three times that of alumina ceramics and has excellent impact resistance.

  High strength

  Bending strength of 900-1200 MPa, close to high-strength alloy steel, suitable for high load scenarios.

  High hardness

  Vickers hardness Hv1.200-1400, wear resistance far exceeds stainless steel (Hv200), and lifespan is extended by 5-10 times.

  2. Excellent thermal properties

  High temperature resistance

  Long term use temperature of 1500 ℃ (short-term can reach 2000 ℃), better than most metals.

  low thermal conductivity

  2-3 W/(m · K), suitable for thermal insulation applications (such as engine thermal barrier coatings).

  Thermal expansion approaching that of metal

  The coefficient is 10.5 × 10 ⁻⁶/° C, which is convenient for composite use with metal components and reduces thermal stress cracking.

  3. Chemical and Biological Stability

  Corrosion preventive

  Resistant to strong acids and alkalis (except hydrofluoric acid), stable within the pH range of 1-14, ideal material for chemical pump valves.

  Biocompatibility

  Certified by ISO 13356, non-toxic and anti rejection, widely used in dental implants and artificial joints.

  4. Special functional characteristics

  Insulation

  Volume resistivity>10 ΩΩ· cm, low dielectric loss at high frequencies（ 0.0005@1MHz ）.

  Oxygen ion conductivity

  Used as an electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), the efficiency is increased by 30%.

Ⅱ、Aesthetics

Can be made in ivory or pure white, suitable for high-end consumer goods such as watch parts and phone backplates.

Ⅲ、Typical application scenarios

 Medical: Dental crowns (with good translucency), hip joint prostheses (wear-resistant)

 Industry: Ceramic bearings (non-magnetic), mechanical seals (corrosion-resistant)

 Electronics: Oxygen Sensor (Automotive Exhaust Gas Detection)

 Consumption: 5G mobile phone backplane (strong signal penetration)

Ⅳ、Technological development trends

 Nano zirconia: toughness increased to 15 MPa · m ²

 3D Printing: Customization of Complex Structure Dental Restorations

 Transparency: Laser window material (Y₂O₃ stable cubic phase)

Zirconia ceramics continue to expand their high-end application boundaries with the golden balance of strength, toughness, and biocompatibility.