Zircon Powder
- Low Substitutability: Comprehensive properties are hard to replace with other materials.
- Customization Flexibility: Adjustable particle size, purity, and surface treatments (e.g., calcination).
Overview
Zircon Powder
Zircon powder, derived from high-quality zircon sand (zirconium silicate, ZrSiO₄), is a versatile and essential material widely utilized across numerous industrial sectors. Its unique properties, stemming from its natural origin and meticulous processing, make it indispensable for applications demanding high refractoriness, chemical inertness, and specific optical characteristics.
Key Characteristics
Stable Chemical Composition
- Primary component: ZrSiO₄ (content typically ≥99%).
- Low impurity levels (e.g., Fe₂O₃, TiO₂ usually ≤0.1%).
Outstanding Physical Properties
- High Melting Point: ~2550°C, excellent high-temperature resistance.
- Low Thermal Expansion Coefficient: ~4.5×10⁻⁶/°C (20-1000°C), strong thermal shock resistance.
- High Hardness: Mohs hardness 7.5, excellent wear resistance.
Corrosion Resistance
- Resistant to acids, alkalis, and molten metals due to strong chemical inertness.
Optical Properties
- High refractive index (~1.92), used for whitening and opacifying effects.
How is Zircon Powder produced from Zircon Sand?
The transformation of zircon sand into zircon powder involves a series of sophisticated processing steps designed to achieve precise particle size distributions and purity levels. The primary method is dry grinding, where high-purity zircon sand is milled using various types of grinding equipment, such as ball mills, jet mills, or vibratory mills. This mechanical process reduces the sand particles to a fine powder, often in the micron or sub-micron range.
For ultra-fine or specialized grades, wet grinding techniques may be employed, followed by advanced classification methods like air classification or hydrocyclones to ensure a narrow particle size distribution. Chemical treatments, such as acid leaching, can also be incorporated to remove trace impurities, enhancing the powder’s purity for demanding applications. Throughout the production process, rigorous quality control measures, including particle size analysis, chemical composition verification, and whiteness testing, are implemented to ensure consistent product quality and performance.
What are the different types and grades of Zircon Powder?
Zircon powder is available in various types and grades, each tailored to specific industrial requirements based on purity, particle size distribution, and surface characteristics. The most common classifications include:
•Standard Zircon Powder: Typically characterized by a ZrO2 content of 65-66%, this grade is widely used in general refractory, foundry, and ceramic applications where high purity is important but not ultra-critical.
•Premium/High-Purity Zircon Powder: With ZrO2 content often exceeding 66% and significantly lower levels of impurities (e.g., TiO2, Fe2O3), this grade is preferred for high-end applications such as advanced ceramics, nuclear ceramics, and specialized glazes where even trace impurities can affect performance.
•Micronized Zircon Powder: Produced through advanced grinding and classification techniques, this ultra-fine powder has particle sizes typically in the sub-micron range. It is essential for applications requiring superior opacity, smooth finishes, and specific rheological properties, such as ceramic glazes, engobes, and precision casting slurries.
•Chemically Treated Zircon Powder: For highly specialized uses, zircon powder may undergo chemical treatments to remove specific impurities or modify its surface, resulting in grades suitable for catalysts, electronic components, and other sensitive applications.
•Coated Zircon Powder: Some zircon powders are coated with resins or other binders for specific applications, improving their performance in areas like mold and core making.
Customers select the appropriate type and grade based on their specific application needs, considering factors such as desired performance, processing requirements, and cost.
| Zircon Powder Physicochemical Index |
|---|
| Formula | Mohs Hardness | Proportion | Melting Point | Linear Thermal Expansion Coefficient | Packing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZrSiO₄ | 7.5-8 | 4.4-4.8 | 2340-2550℃ | 5.0’0-6/C (200-1000℃) | 25kg Composite Paper Bag or Ton Bag |
| Grade | Granularity | Chemical Composition |
|---|
| D50 | Zr(Hf)O₂ | TiO₂ | Fe₂O₃ | Al₂O₃ | SiO₂ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUPER | 7-8um(325/mesh) | ≥66 | ≤0.06 | ≤0.08 | ≤0.3 | ≤34 |
| Grade1 | 7-8um(325/mesh) | ≥65 | ≤0.15 | ≤0.1 | ≤0.5 | ≤34 |
| Grade2 | 7-8um(325/mesh) | ≥63 | ≤0.5 | ≤0.3 | ≤1.0 | ≤34 |
| Grade3 | 7-8um(325/mesh) | ≥60 | ≤0.5 | ≤0.5 | ≤2.0 | ≤34 |
What are the key properties of Zircon Powder?
Zircon powder inherits and enhances the remarkable properties of its parent mineral, zircon sand, making it a highly valuable material in diverse industrial applications. Its key characteristics include:
•High Refractoriness: Zircon powder boasts an exceptionally high melting point (approximately 2550°C for pure ZrSiO4), making it an outstanding refractory material. This property ensures its stability and integrity in extreme high-temperature environments, crucial for furnace linings, crucibles, and other heat-resistant components.
•Low Thermal Expansion: It exhibits a low and uniform coefficient of thermal expansion, which contributes significantly to its excellent thermal shock resistance. This characteristic minimizes cracking and spalling when materials are subjected to rapid temperature fluctuations, ensuring durability and extended service life.
•Chemical Inertness: Zircon powder is highly resistant to chemical attack by most acids, alkalis, and molten metals at elevated temperatures. This inertness prevents undesirable reactions and contamination, making it ideal for use in corrosive environments, such as in glass manufacturing and certain chemical processes.
•High Hardness and Abrasion Resistance: With a Mohs hardness of 7.5, zircon powder is a hard and durable material. This property is advantageous in applications requiring wear resistance, such as in grinding media, abrasive products, and wear-resistant coatings.
•High Opacity and Whiteness: When finely ground, zircon powder, particularly micronized grades, provides superior opacity and whiteness. This makes it an indispensable opacifier in ceramic glazes and engobes, enhancing the aesthetic appeal and coverage of ceramic products.
•Low Radioactivity: Commercial grades of zircon powder are processed to ensure low levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), complying with international safety standards and making them suitable for a wide range of industrial and consumer applications.
These combined properties underscore zircon powder’s versatility and its critical role in manufacturing high-performance materials and products.
Appication
Where Are Zircon Powder Used?
Ceramics and Glazes
- Enhances whiteness, gloss, and thermal shock resistance in high-end tiles and sanitaryware.
Foundry Industry
- Used as a sand coating material in mold casting to improve surface finish and reduce sand adhesion defects.
Refractory Materials
- Production of furnace linings, crucibles, etc., with high-temperature and corrosion resistance.
Electronic Materials
- Utilized in ceramic capacitors and substrates for superior dielectric performance.
Nuclear Industry
- High-purity zircon powder for nuclear fuel cladding protection layers (requires further purification to ZrO₂).
FAQ
Get a fast quote, request samples, or speak directly with our technical sales team.
We’re a factory-backed supplier based in China with in-house production and a tight QC system.
Yes. We support small MOQ for new clients or R&D projects—starting from 100 kg.
Yes. Every order comes with SDS, COA, inspection reports, and customized documentation if needed.
Typically 7–14 days for standard products. Custom specs may take slightly longer.
Absolutely. We support customized particle size, purity levels, and ceramic part dimensions.
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