What Is Intermediate Ceramic

• What is intermediate ceramic?

Intermediate ceramics are a type of high-performance ceramic material that falls between traditional ceramics and advanced ceramics. They are composed of inorganic, non-metallic compounds such as oxides, nitrides, or carbides, and possess unique microstructures and excellent comprehensive properties. They not only retain the high temperature and corrosion resistance characteristics of traditional ceramics, but also have high strength, high hardness, and functional adjustability close to advanced ceramics, thus demonstrating great potential in industrial applications.

• Why use  intermediate ceramics?

Intermediate ceramics, due to their unique composition and structure, can balance performance and cost, filling the application gap between traditional ceramics and advanced ceramics. They not only have high mechanical strength and chemical stability, but can also optimize their thermal, electrical, or mechanical properties by adjusting their formulations and processes, making them play an important role in fields such as electronics, chemical engineering, energy, and machinery.

• Basic characteristics of  intermediate ceramics:

1. Higher hardness and wear resistance

The hardness of intermediate ceramics is between traditional ceramics and advanced ceramics, but still significantly higher than most metal materials, making them suitable for wear-resistant components such as bearings, seals, and cutting tools.

2. Good compressive strength

Although not as extreme as some advanced ceramics such as zirconia or silicon carbide, intermediate ceramics can still withstand high mechanical loads and are suitable for structural support and pressure resistant environments.

3. Moderate density

The density of intermediate ceramics is usually lower than that of metals, but may be slightly higher than some lightweight advanced ceramics, which gives them an advantage in applications that require weight reduction but still require strength.

4. Excellent high temperature resistance performance

Intermediate ceramics can work stably at high temperatures ranging from 800 ° C to 1400 ° C, making them suitable for thermal equipment, furnaces, and high-temperature sensors.

5. Adjustable electrical performance

Some intermediate ceramics have excellent insulation properties and are suitable for electronic packaging and circuit substrates; And others can adjust conductivity through doping for use in sensors or functional devices.

6. Chemical stability and corrosion resistance

Similar to advanced ceramics, intermediate ceramics have excellent resistance to acid, alkali, and oxidative environments, making them suitable for chemical equipment and corrosive media treatment.

• Limitations of intermediate ceramics:

1. High processing difficulty

Due to its high hardness, intermediate ceramics usually require precision grinding after sintering, which increases manufacturing costs. However, some intermediate ceramics (such as certain silicate based ceramics) can improve processability by optimizing the formulation.

2. High brittleness

Similar to traditional ceramics, intermediate ceramics have lower fracture toughness and are prone to brittle fracture when subjected to impact or stress concentration. Therefore, stress distribution and impact resistant structures need to be considered in design.

3. The performance is significantly affected by the process

The final performance of intermediate ceramics is highly dependent on the purity of raw materials and sintering processes, and small process changes may lead to performance fluctuations, so strict control of production conditions is required.

• The application prospects of intermediate ceramics

Intermediate ceramics are gradually being applied to:

1. Industrial Machinery: Wear resistant liners, cutting tools, sealing rings

2. Electronic components: insulating substrates, sensors, dielectric materials

3. Energy and Environmental Protection: High Temperature Filtration Membrane, Catalyst Carrier

4. Biomedical: low-cost dental restorative materials, biomimetic bone substitutes

With the advancement of materials science, intermediate ceramics are expected to replace metals and polymers in more fields, promoting innovation in industrial technology.