Highly Polished Zirconia (ZrO2) Sheets

Product Description

Highly polished Zirconia (ZrO₂) sheets are advanced ceramic materials used in various high-performance applications due to their exceptional hardness, wear resistance, chemical stability, and high-temperature resistance. 

Manufacturing Techniques: Polished Zirconia (ZrO₂) Sheets-

– Sintering: Similar to alumina, zirconia powders undergo sintering, often with additives like yttria to stabilize the crystal structure and enhance toughness. 

– Polishing: Advanced methods, including laser polishing, are utilized to achieve the desired surface finish. 

Key Properties:

– High toughness compared to other ceramics (transformation toughening mechanism)

– Excellent wear and corrosion resistance

– High thermal insulation and low thermal conductivity

– Good biocompatibility

Tolerances and Surface Finish:

Achieving precise tolerances and superior surface finishes on materials like Alumina (Al₂O₃), Silicon Carbide (SiC), and Zirconia (ZrO₂) requires specialized machining and polishing services. 

– Surface finish and polishing quality impact optical, electronic, and tribological properties.

– Brittle under extreme mechanical stress.

– Expensive compared to metals but provides longevity in harsh conditions.

The expected tolerances for highly polished Alumina (Al₂O₃) sheets depend on the manufacturing process, final application, and required surface finish. 

Below are typical tolerance ranges for these materials:

– Dimensional Tolerances

– General Precision (as-sintered): ±0.2 to ±0.5 mm

– Fine Precision (ground & polished): ±0.01 to ±0.05 mm

– Ultra-Precision (for optical and semiconductor applications): ±0.002 to ±0.005 mm

– Surface Finish (Ra – Roughness Average)

– As-Sintered: Ra 1–3 μm

– Fine Ground: Ra 0.1–0.5 μm

– Polished (Mirror Finish): Ra 0.01–0.05 μm

– Ultra-Polished (Optical & Semiconductor Grade): Ra <0.005 μm (5 nm)

For example, silicon carbide and zirconia sheets used in semiconductor and optics applications often require Ra < 0.005 μm (mirror-polished surfaces).

– Flatness

– Standard: 10–50 μm per 100 mm

– High-Precision Applications: 5 μm per 100 mm

– Optical and Semiconductor Applications: 1–2 μm per 100 mm

Flatness is critical for applications like wafer substrates, optical components, and high-precision mechanical parts.

– Thickness Tolerance

– General: ±0.1 mm

– Precision-Machined: ±0.01–0.05 mm

– Ultra-Precision (e.g., semiconductor wafers, optical lenses): ±0.005 mm

– Parallelism

– Standard: 50–100 μm

– Precision Applications: 10–20 μm

– Ultra-Precision Applications: <5 μm

Parallelism is essential for bearings, mechanical seals, and electronic substrates to ensure uniform thickness across the sheet.

– Edge & Corner Tolerances

– Chamfered Edges (to prevent chipping): ±0.1 mm

– Sharp Edge Tolerance: ±0.05 mm

Silicon Carbide and Zirconia are brittle, so edge processing is often required to prevent chipping.

Applications:

->Medical & Dental:
Used in Crowns, implants, and orthopedic components due to strength and biocompatibility.

– Dental Crowns & Implants: Zirconia sheets are used for their biocompatibility, strength, and aesthetic appeal.

– Prosthetics & Joint Replacements: Alumina and zirconia components in hip and knee implants.

– Surgical Tools & Equipment: Highly wear-resistant and sterilization-friendly ceramic components.

->Aerospace & Defense:
Thermal barrier coatings for jet engines.

– Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs): Zirconia sheets are used as insulation layers in jet engines and rocket nozzles.

->Industrial & Laboratory Equipment:
Blades, dies, and high-wear components.

– Cutting Tools & Grinding Media: SiC and zirconia are used in high-performance cutting tools and abrasives.

– Mechanical Seals & Bearings: Zirconia, Alumina and SiC Sheets and Balls are used in making seals and bearings for pumps, compressors, and high-wear applications.

– High-Temperature Furnaces & Crucibles: Used in metallurgy, ceramics, and materials research.

– Chemical Processing Equipment: Corrosion-resistant ceramic sheets for tanks, piping, and reactors.

->Automotive & Electric Vehicles (EVs):
SiC substrates for power electronics in EVs and high-frequency applications.

– Sensors & Actuators: Alumina and zirconia-based components in fuel injection systems and exhaust sensors.

– Battery heat shields & insulators: Alumina and Zirconia sheets for thermal protection in EV batteries.

->Optics & Photonics Industry:
Used in optical components and sensors.

– Precision Mirrors & Lenses: SiC and alumina sheets used in high-performance optics.

– Laser Components & Windows: Used in high-energy laser systems for military and industrial application.

– Astronomical Telescopes: SiC mirrors are used in space telescopes and observatories.

->Jewelry & Luxury Goods:
Synthetic gemstones and watch components due to its scratch resistance.

Why Choose M-Kube Polished Alumina Sheets?

We, at M-Kube, believe in providing Differentiating Value-Added Services like:

– Custom machining & polishing: Provide finished, ready-to-use ceramic components.

– Technical consulting: Help customers select the right ceramic materials.

– On-demand prototyping: Support R&D teams with fast-turnaround ceramic parts.

At M-Kube, we offer comprehensive rough and finish grinding on various ceramic materials, by specializing in precision grinding, lapping, polishing, machining and laser cutting of these ceramic components. Our capabilities encompass surface grinding, centerless grinding, OD/ID grinding, honing, lapping, and polishing. We also maintain top notch in-house testing facilities to ensure the quality and performance of these products

We strongly recommend you to consult M-Kube team and discuss your specific requirements, including material type, desired tolerances, surface finish, and application, to ensure that we at M-Kube, can meet your exact specifications.

We, at M-Kube Enterprise, are an Australian company catering to:

– Premium quality laboratory equipment for analytical testing and sample preparation, 

– Best in class laboratory consumables, 

– Customized ceramic and refractory metal product solutions for high temperature applications and 

– Top notch battery Equipment and battery consumables

We cater to various geographies like Australia, India, USA, Dubai, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam. 

Our team of experts across different platforms can discuss and customize your requirements as per your needs. For more information, please reach out to us on +61 478 594 746 and we will be happy to explain the products in detail, tailor them to fit your requirements, and share detailed product catalogues.

We look forward to be one of your most trusted research and vendor partners.