ZrO₂
Zirconium Dioxide (ZrO₂)
Zirconia, or zirconium dioxide (ZrO₂), is an advanced ceramic material renowned for its exceptional combination of mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties.
ZrO₂
Zirconia Powder
Zirconia Powder (ZrO₂) is a high-performance ceramic material renowned for its extremely high melting point (~2715°C), exceptional wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and chemical stability. It exists in three crystalline phases—monoclinic, tetragonal, and cubic—with Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) being widely utilized for its superior thermal stability and mechanical strength.
Key Properties:
- Exceptional High-Temperature Resistance: Ideal for refractory materials, aerospace coatings, and extreme environments.
- Biocompatibility: Used in medical fields for dental implants, artificial joints, and biomedical devices.
- Electrical Performance: A critical component in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and electronic ceramics.
- Customizable Particle Sizes: Ranging from nano-scale to micron-level, tailored for precision ceramics, optical coatings, and diverse applications.
Where can I get high-quality zirconium oxide raw materials? How can I extract pure zirconium oxide powder?
Zirconium oxide powder is primarily derived from two natural minerals: zircon sand (ZrSiO₄) and baddeleyite (ZrO₂). Zircon sand is the most common commercial raw material, with abundant global reserves primarily distributed in Australia, South Africa, China, and India. High-quality zircon sand typically contains 64-67% ZrO₂ and 30-33% SiO₂, along with small amounts of impurities such as Fe2O3, TiO₂, and Al2O3. Baddeleyite is a natural form of zirconium oxide with higher purity but limited reserves, mainly found in Brazil and certain regions of Africa.
The raw material extraction process first involves physical separation techniques, including gravity separation, magnetic separation, and flotation, to remove most impurity minerals. This is followed by chemical processing, primarily using two process routes:
- Alkali Fusion Method: Zircon sand is fused with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate at 800-900°C, forming soluble sodium silicate and insoluble zirconium oxide. The zirconium oxide hydrate is separated through washing and filtration, then undergoes acid treatment, precipitation, filtration, and calcination to ultimately obtain high-purity zirconium oxide powder.
- Chlorination Method: Zircon sand reacts with carbon in a chlorine environment at 900-1100°C to produce zirconium tetrachloride (ZrCl₄). After purification, the zirconium tetrachloride is converted to zirconium oxide through hydrolysis or thermal decomposition. This method can yield ultra-high purity products (>99.9%) but at a higher cost, primarily used for specialized applications in electronics and optics.
The selection and pre-treatment of raw materials have a decisive impact on the final product’s purity and performance. We employ strict raw material screening standards to ensure that impurity elements (especially Hf, Fe, Ti, Al) are controlled within specified ranges, laying the foundation for the subsequent production of high-quality zirconium oxide powder.
How to produce zirconia powder of different specifications? Which process is best suited for your application?
Zirconium oxide powder production processes are diverse, each with its advantages and disadvantages, primarily including the following methods:
Chemical Precipitation Method
This is the most commonly used industrial production method, offering advantages of simple equipment and moderate cost. The process flow includes:
- Reacting zirconium salt solutions (such as zirconium oxychloride or zirconium nitrate) with precipitants (such as ammonia, urea, or ammonium carbonate) under strictly controlled pH (9-11) and temperature (60-80°C) conditions.
- Filtering and washing the resulting zirconium hydroxide precipitate to remove soluble impurities.
- Drying (110-150°C) and calcining (600-1100°C) the precipitate to convert it to zirconium oxide powder.
Our production lines employ computer control systems to monitor reaction parameters in real-time, ensuring consistency between batches. Stabilizers (such as Y₂O₃, MgO, CaO) added during the precipitation process can control the crystal phase structure of the final product.
Sol-Gel Method
This method is suitable for producing high-purity, nano-scale zirconium oxide powder:
- Hydrolyzing zirconium alkoxides (such as zirconium propoxide) in organic solvents to form zirconium sol.
- Adjusting sol stability and particle size by controlling pH, temperature, and additives.
- Aging, drying (spray drying or freeze drying), and calcining the sol to convert it to nano zirconium oxide powder.
This method allows precise control of particle size distribution (30-100nm) and morphology, but at a higher cost, primarily used for high-end applications.
Hydrothermal Synthesis Method
This is a low-temperature method for preparing nano zirconium oxide:
- Reacting zirconium salt solutions in an autoclave at 150-300°C and 2-20MPa.
- Directly forming crystalline zirconium oxide nanoparticles without high-temperature calcination.
- Washing and drying the product to obtain highly active zirconium oxide powder.
Powders prepared by the hydrothermal method have high specific surface area (20-80m²/g) and excellent sintering activity, particularly suitable for electronic ceramics and catalyst applications.
Plasma Method
Used for ultra-high purity and specialty zirconium oxide powder production:
- Injecting zirconium precursors (such as ZrCl₄) into high-temperature (>3000°C) plasma.
- Decomposing and oxidizing the precursors in an extremely short time to form ultrafine zirconium oxide particles.
- Collecting the product after rapid cooling
This method can produce spherical, high-purity zirconium oxide powder, but is energy-intensive and primarily used for specialty coatings and 3D printing materials.
Our production facilities are equipped with various process equipment described above, allowing us to select the most appropriate production method based on customer requirements and application scenarios, ensuring precise matching of product performance with application needs.
What types of zirconia powder are there? How do you choose the best zirconia product for your application?
Zirconium oxide powder can be classified into various types based on crystal structure, stabilization degree, particle size, and purity:
Classification by Crystal Structure
- Monoclinic Zirconia (m-ZrO₂): The naturally stable phase at room temperature, with high hardness but poor thermal stability, transforming to tetragonal phase above 1170°C. Primarily used for abrasive materials and certain refractory applications.
- Tetragonal Zirconia (t-ZrO₂): Stable in the temperature range of 1170-2370°C, with good mechanical properties and toughness. Can be maintained in tetragonal phase at room temperature through the addition of stabilizers.
- Cubic Zirconia (c-ZrO₂): Naturally forms above 2370°C, can be stabilized at room temperature by adding sufficient stabilizers (such as 8mol% Y₂O₃). Features excellent ionic conductivity, primarily used in oxygen sensors and solid oxide fuel cells.
Classification by Stabilization Degree
- Unstabilized Zirconia (USZ): Pure phase zirconia without stabilizer addition, undergoes phase transformation with temperature changes, resulting in large volume changes. Primarily used for special research and certain refractory materials.
- Partially Stabilized Zirconia (PSZ): Contains 2-5mol% stabilizers (such as Y₂O₃, MgO, CaO), exists as a mixture of tetragonal and cubic phases at room temperature. Features a “transformation toughening” mechanism, with excellent strength and toughness, widely used in structural ceramics.
- Fully Stabilized Zirconia (FSZ): Contains 7-8mol% or more stabilizers, completely stabilized in cubic phase with no phase transformation. Features excellent high-temperature stability and ionic conductivity, primarily used in electronic ceramics and biomedical materials.
- Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal (TZP): Contains 2-3mol% Y₂O₃, maintained in metastable tetragonal phase at room temperature. Features extremely high strength and toughness, the material of choice for dental and precision structural components.
Classification by Particle Size
- Micron-Grade Zirconia Powder (0.1-5μm): Mainstream product for conventional industrial applications, with moderate production costs, suitable for most ceramic and refractory material applications.
- Submicron-Grade Zirconia Powder (0.05-0.1μm): Features higher sintering activity and uniform microstructure, suitable for high-performance structural ceramics and precision components.
- Nano-Grade Zirconia Powder (<50nm): Features ultra-high specific surface area and sintering activity, can be densified at lower temperatures, suitable for advanced electronic ceramics, catalysts, and specialty coatings.
Classification by Purity
- Industrial Grade (99.0-99.5%): Suitable for general refractory materials, grinding media, and ceramic pigments.
- High-Purity Grade (99.5-99.9%): Suitable for high-performance structural ceramics, advanced refractory materials, and certain electronic ceramics.
- Ultra-High Purity Grade (>99.9%): Suitable for electronic, optical, and biomedical high-end applications.
We offer a full range of zirconium oxide powder products and can customize specific crystal phase compositions, particle size distributions, and doping formulations according to customer requirements, meeting the specialized application needs of different industries.
Why has zirconium oxide powder become the first choice for high-tech materials? What outstanding properties does it have?
Zirconium oxide powder possesses a series of excellent physical and chemical properties, making it a key material in numerous high-tech fields:
Thermal Properties
- High Melting Point: Pure zirconium oxide has a melting point of approximately 2715°C, one of the highest among known oxide ceramics, making it an ideal choice for extreme high-temperature applications.
- Low Thermal Conductivity: Zirconium oxide has a thermal conductivity of 2.0-3.0W/m·K (at room temperature), only 1/5 that of alumina, making it an excellent thermal barrier material.
- Thermal Expansion Coefficient: Approximately 10-11×10⁻⁶/K (room temperature to 1000°C), close to certain metal alloys, beneficial for metal-ceramic composite structure design.
- Phase Transformation Temperatures: Monoclinic→tetragonal transformation temperature is approximately 1170°C, tetragonal→cubic transformation temperature is approximately 2370°C. These phase transformations can be controlled or eliminated by adding stabilizers.
Mechanical Properties
- High Hardness: Mohs hardness of 8.5-9.5, Vickers hardness of 1200-1300HV, second only to diamond, cubic boron nitride, and silicon carbide among super-hard materials.
- High Strength: Y-TZP has a flexural strength of up to 1200-1500MPa, 2-3 times that of alumina, approaching certain engineering metal materials.
- High Toughness: Y-TZP has a fracture toughness of up to 9-12MPa·m½, far higher than traditional ceramic materials (3-5MPa·m½), thanks to its unique “transformation toughening” mechanism.
- Excellent Wear Resistance: Volume wear rate as low as 10⁻⁶mm³/Nm, making it an ideal material for high-performance bearings and abrasives.
Chemical Properties
- Chemical Stability: Extremely high resistance to most acids, alkalis, and organic solvents at room temperature, only slowly dissolving in concentrated hydrofluoric acid and hot phosphoric acid.
- High-Temperature Oxidation Resistance: Excellent high-temperature stability in both oxidizing and reducing atmospheres, can be used for extended periods above 1500°C without significant degradation.
- Ionic Conductivity: Y₂O₃-doped cubic zirconia exhibits high oxygen ionic conductivity at high temperatures (>600°C), making it a key material for solid oxide fuel cells and oxygen sensors.
- Surface Properties: Zirconium oxide surfaces have amphoteric oxide characteristics, allowing adjustment of acid-base properties and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity through surface treatment as needed.
Optical Properties
- High Refractive Index: Approximately 2.15-2.20, higher than most optical glasses and oxide ceramics, making it important in optical coatings and synthetic gemstones.
- Wide Band Gap: Band gap of approximately 5.0-5.5eV, with good transparency from ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths.
- Fluorescence Properties: Zirconium oxide doped with rare earth elements (such as Eu, Tb, Ce) can emit fluorescence at different wavelengths, used in displays and lighting materials.
Our product specification sheets provide detailed physical and chemical performance parameters, including particle size distribution, specific surface area, bulk density, impurity content, and crystal phase composition, facilitating customer evaluation and selection of the most suitable product for their application.
Physicochemical Index
| Product | Zr(Hf)O₂ | Y₂O₃ | SiO₂ | Na₂O | CL- | ig.loss | Bulk density | BET | D90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code | (min)% | % | (max)% | (max)% | (max)% | (max)% | g/m²(max)% | m²g/ | <1.0 |
| JA-TAP-OY | 99.9 | 0 | 0.002 | 0.005 | 0.01 | 1 | – | 5-15 | <1.0 |
| JA-TAP-3Y | 94.5 | 5.30+0.20 | 0.002 | 0.005 | 0.03 | 3 | 1.15-1.45 | 6-32 | <1.0 |
| JA-TAP-5Y | 89.5 | 8.75+0.25 | 0.005 | 0.005 | 0.01 | 1 | – | 6-10 | <1.0 |
| ZTA | 19 | 1.5±0.20 | 0.005 | 0.005 | 0.5 | 3 | – | 6-10 | <5.0 |
Specific surface area, median particle size, bulk density and shrinkage can be controlled according to customer requirements. Granulation powder and air flow powder can be produced according to customer requirements.
Application of Zirconium Oxide Powder.
According to market research, the global zirconium oxide powder market is projected to grow from 2.1 billion in 2025 to 3.6 billion in 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of approximately 6.2%. The main growth drivers come from continuous innovation and application expansion in electronic ceramics, medical devices, and advanced manufacturing fields.
Our technical team continuously tracks the latest R&D progress and application trends in zirconium oxide materials, providing customized technical solutions to help you maintain technological leadership in your respective fields.
Advanced Ceramics Field
- Structural Ceramics: Utilizing zirconium oxide’s high strength and toughness to manufacture cutting tools, bearings, valves, pump components, and grinding balls with service lives 3-5 times longer than traditional materials.
- Bioceramics: Y-TZP, with its excellent biocompatibility, high strength, and aesthetic white appearance, has become the material of choice for dental crowns, implant abutments, and hip joint prostheses, with a global market growth rate exceeding 15% annually.
- Functional Ceramics: PSZ and FSZ are used to manufacture oxygen sensors, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), and oxygen separation membranes, playing key roles in energy and environmental protection fields.
Refractory Materials Field
- High-Temperature Kiln Linings: Zirconium oxide bricks and castables are used in critical areas of glass melting furnaces, steel smelting furnaces, and non-ferrous metal smelting furnaces, with working temperatures above 1800°C.
- Continuous Casting Refractories: Zirconium oxide is applied in immersion nozzles, stoppers, and tundish linings in continuous steel casting, improving steel quality and equipment service life.
- Thermal Barrier Coatings: Zirconium oxide thermal barrier coatings sprayed on aerospace engine turbine blades and combustion chambers can increase working temperatures by 100-150°C, significantly improving engine efficiency.
Electronics and Energy Field
- Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: 8YSZ (8mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia) is the standard electrolyte material for SOFCs, with broad prospects in distributed power generation and hydrogen energy utilization.
- Oxygen Sensors: A core material in automotive exhaust oxygen sensors, with global annual demand exceeding 500 million units and stable market growth.
- Piezoelectric Ceramics: Zirconium oxide doped with specific elements exhibits piezoelectric properties, used in high-temperature pressure sensors and actuators.
Catalysis and Environmental Protection Field
- Catalyst Carriers: Nano zirconium oxide, with its high specific surface area and amphoteric surface characteristics, serves as a catalyst carrier in petrochemical and fine chemical reactions.
- Environmental Purification: Zirconium oxide-based materials are used in automotive exhaust catalytic converters, industrial exhaust treatment, and water treatment.
- Photocatalysis: Nitrogen or transition metal-doped zirconium oxide exhibits photocatalytic activity under visible light, used for air purification and self-cleaning coatings.
Emerging Application Fields
- Additive Manufacturing: Specially treated zirconium oxide powder is used for 3D printing high-performance ceramic components, with broad application prospects in aerospace and medical device fields.
- Quantum Dot Materials: Rare earth element-doped nano zirconium oxide quantum dot materials show unique advantages in bioimaging and display technology.
- Flexible Electronics: Ultra-thin zirconium oxide films serve as high-k dielectric layers and protective layers in flexible electronic devices, meeting the development needs of wearable devices.
ZrO₂ Beads
Zirconia Beads
Zirconia beads are high-performance ceramic grinding media manufactured from high-purity zirconium oxide (ZrO₂). Renowned for their ultra-high hardness (Mohs hardness ≥8.5), exceptional wear resistance, and chemical inertness, these beads undergo specialized processes such as yttria stabilization (Y₂O₃-ZrO₂) to achieve stable tetragonal or cubic crystal structures. This ensures physical stability even under extreme conditions (e.g., high temperatures, strong acid/alkali environments), delivering a service life 3-5 times longer than conventional alumina beads.
Key Features:
- High Density (≥6.0 g/cm³): Enhances grinding efficiency, shortens production cycles, and supports high-precision powder dispersion for applications like lithium battery materials and electronic pastes.
- Zero Contamination: No metal ion leaching, meeting ultra-pure grinding requirements for pharmaceutical and food-grade nanomaterials.
- Broad Size Range: 0.1mm to 30mm, compatible with diverse equipment including vertical sand mills and ball mills.
- Superior roundness and surface finish
Excellent chemical resistance
What are Zirconium Oxide Beads? What are their raw materials and basic composition?
Zirconia Beads are spherical grinding media made from zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), with their main raw materials sourced from zircon sand (ZrSiO₄) and baddeleyite (natural ZrO₂). Zircon sand is the most common commercial raw material, with abundant global reserves primarily distributed in Australia, South Africa, China, and India. High-quality zircon sand typically contains 64-67% ZrO₂ and 30-33% SiO₂, along with small amounts of impurities such as Y₂O₃, TiO₂, and AI₂O₃.
The raw material extraction process first involves physical separation techniques, including gravity separation, magnetic separation, and flotation, to remove most impurity minerals. This is followed by chemical processing, mainly using two process routes:
- Alkali Fusion Method: Zircon sand is fused with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate at 800-900°C, forming soluble sodium silicate and insoluble zirconium oxide. Zirconium oxide hydrate is separated through washing and filtration, then processed with acid treatment, precipitation, filtration, and calcination to obtain high-purity zirconium oxide powder.
- Chlorination Method: Zircon sand reacts with carbon in a chlorine gas environment at 900-1100°C, producing zirconium tetrachloride (ZrCl4). After purification, the zirconium tetrachloride is converted to zirconium oxide through hydrolysis or thermal decomposition. This method can produce ultra-high purity products (>99.9%) but at a higher cost.
Based on different stabilizers, zirconia beads can be classified into the following basic types:
•Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Beads (YSZ): Containing 3-8mol% yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) as a stabilizer, these are the most common high-performance zirconia beads.
•Magnesia-Stabilized Zirconia Beads (MSZ): Containing magnesium oxide (MgO) as a stabilizer, these have a lower cost.
•Ceria-Stabilized Zirconia Beads (CSZ): Containing cerium oxide (CeO₂) as a stabilizer, these offer excellent chemical stability.
•Zirconia-Toughened Alumina Beads (ZTA): Alumina matrix with 10-20% zirconia added, combining the advantages of both materials.
All raw materials must undergo strict quality testing to ensure impurity content is controlled within specified ranges, laying the foundation for the subsequent production of high-quality zirconia beads.
How are high-quality zirconia beads produced? What are the characteristics of different forming technologies?
The production process of zirconia beads directly affects their performance and application range, mainly including the following forming methods:
2.1 Pressing Forming
This is a common forming method for large-sized zirconia beads (typically >5mm), mainly including dry pressing and isostatic pressing:
•Dry Pressing: Zirconia powder is mixed with a small amount of organic binder and pressed under uniaxial or biaxial pressure. This method uses simple equipment and has a low cost, but the density uniformity is relatively poor.
•Cold Isostatic Pressing (CIP): Zirconia powder is placed in a flexible mold and subjected to uniform omnidirectional pressure (typically 100-300MPa) in a liquid medium. The green body formed by isostatic pressing has high strength, high density, and good uniformity, making it suitable for preparing high-performance zirconia beads.
In actual production, to increase the density of the green body, a pressurization method is often used. However, it should be noted that when the pressure exceeds the limit, it can cause the green body to crack, reducing density. In industrial production, the two methods are often combined, with dry pressing first, followed by isostatic pressing treatment, to obtain high-performance zirconia beads.
2.2 Rolling Forming
This is a common method for producing zirconia beads in China, characterized by low production cost and high speed:
- Mix zirconia powder with an appropriate amount of binder and water to form a plastic clay.
- Use rolling plate equipment to form the clay into spheres.
- Control rolling time, speed, and moisture content to adjust the size and roundness of the spheres.
- Dry the green body before high-temperature sintering.
This method uses simple equipment, is easy to operate, and produces beads with good sphericity that are easy to sinter. Although the strength is not as high as isostatic pressing, the cost is low, and it can produce beads of various sizes in the range of 0.1mm-60mm according to requirements.
2.3 Titration Forming
This method is mainly used to prepare small-sized zirconia beads (0.05mm-0.3mm):
- Drop zirconia precursor solution into a coagulation liquid through special equipment.
- Droplets form spheres under the action of surface tension.
- The final product is formed through coagulation, drying, and sintering.
Zirconia beads prepared by the titration method can be sintered at lower temperatures and have no internal pores, making them suitable for ultra-fine grinding and dispersion of electrode materials, multilayer ceramic capacitors, coatings, and other high-performance materials that require “zero contamination.”
2.4 Sintering Process
Regardless of the forming method used, zirconia beads need to undergo high-temperature sintering to achieve their final performance:
- Pre-sintering: Conducted at 800-1000°C to remove organic binders and moisture.
- Main sintering: Conducted at 1350-1550°C, typically for 2-8 hours, adjusted according to bead size and composition.
- Post-processing: Including screening, grading, surface treatment, and quality testing
During the sintering process, temperature control and atmosphere management are crucial, directly affecting the density, hardness, toughness, and microstructure of zirconia beads. The relative density of high-quality zirconia beads typically needs to reach above 99%.
What types and specifications of zirconia beads are available? How do you choose the product that best suits your application?
Zirconia beads can be classified into various types based on composition, stabilization degree, size, and purpose:
3.1 Classification by Composition and Stabilization Degree
1.Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Beads (YSZ)
- 3Y-TZP: Contains 3mol% Y₂O₃, mainly tetragonal phase, with high strength and toughness
- 5Y-PSZ: Contains 5mol% Y₂O₃, a mixture of tetragonal and cubic phases, with balanced performance
- 8Y-FSZ: Contains 8mol% Y₂O₃, fully stabilized to cubic phase, with excellent chemical stability
2.Magnesia-Stabilized Zirconia Beads (MSZ)
- Contains 2-3.5mol% MgO, lower cost, suitable for general grinding applications
- Hardness and wear resistance slightly lower than YSZ, but with significant price advantages
3.Ceria-Stabilized Zirconia Beads (CSZ)
- Contains 10-12mol% CeO₂, with excellent chemical stability and corrosion resistance
- Especially suitable for grinding and dispersion in acidic or alkaline environments
4.Zirconia-Toughened Alumina Beads (ZTA)
- Alumina matrix with 10-20% zirconia added
- Combines the high hardness of alumina with the high toughness of zirconia
- Lower cost than pure zirconia beads, but better performance than pure alumina beads
3.2 Classification by Purity
1.Industrial Grade (95-97%)
- Suitable for general grinding and polishing applications.
- Lower cost, moderate performance.
2.High-Purity Grade (97-99%)
- Suitable for fine grinding and high-requirement applications.
- Excellent performance, low contamination risk.
3.Ultra-High-Purity Grade (>99%)
- Suitable for electronics, pharmaceutical, and high-end material processing.
- Almost zero contamination, excellent performance.
3.3 Classification by Size
Zirconia beads come in a wide range of sizes, from 0.05mm to 60mm, meeting different grinding and dispersion needs:
1.Micro Beads (0.05-0.3mm)
- Mainly produced by the titration method.
- Used for ultra-fine grinding and nano-level dispersion.
- Suitable for processing electronic slurries, high-grade pigments, and nanomaterials.
2.Small Beads (0.3-2mm)
- Produced by rolling forming or titration method.
- Used for fine grinding and dispersion.
- Suitable for inks, coatings, battery materials, and fine chemical products.
3.Medium Beads (2-10mm)
- Produced by rolling forming or pressing forming.
- Used for conventional grinding and polishing.
- Suitable for processing ceramics, minerals, and general industrial materials.
4.Large Beads (>10mm)
- Mainly produced by pressing forming.
- Used for coarse grinding and special applications.
- Suitable for primary crushing of large particle materials and special industrial applications.
| Product Specification |
|---|
| Chemical Composition |
| ZrO₂ | Y₂O₃ | Other |
|---|---|---|
| ≥95% | ≥4.5% | ≤0.5% |
Note: Different product specifications have different chemical compositions.
| Physical charactenslics |
|---|
| Densily | Bulk Density | Crushing Strength | Vickers Hardness | Wear Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| >6.0g/cm³ | ≥3.7g/cm³ | >2.0KN(Ф2mm) | >1100Hv | <0.5(ppm/h ) |
| Specifications(mm) |
|---|
| Ф0.1-0.2 | Ф0.2-0.3 | Ф0.3-0.4 | Ф0.4-0.6 | Ф0.6-0.8 |
| Ф0.8-1.0 | Ф1.0-1.2 | Ф1.2-1.4 | 1.4-1.6 | Ф1.6-1.8 |
| Ф1.8-2.0 | Ф2.0-2.2 | Ф2.2-2.4 | Ф2.4-2.6 | Ф2.6-2.8 |
| Ф2.8-3.0 | Ф4 | Ф5 | Ф6 | Ф7 |
| Ф8 | Ф10 | Ф12 | Ф15 | Ф17 |
| Ф20 | Ф25 | Ф30 | Ф40 | Ф50 |
Note: Specifications can be customized according to customer needs.
Why do zirconia beads offer superior performance? What key physical and chemical properties do they possess?
Zirconia beads possess a series of excellent physical and chemical properties, making them an ideal choice for high-performance grinding media:
4.1 Mechanical Properties
1.High Hardness: Mohs hardness of 8.5-9.0, Vickers hardness of 1200-1300HV, second only to diamond, cubic boron nitride, and silicon carbide among super-hard materials.
2.High Strength: Flexural strength can reach 800-1200MPa, 2-3 times that of ordinary ceramic materials, approaching some engineering metal materials.
3.High Toughness: Fracture toughness of 6-10MPa·m½, far higher than traditional ceramic materials (3-5MPa·m½), thanks to its unique “phase transformation toughening” mechanism.
4.Wear Resistance: Volume wear rate as low as 10⁻⁶mm³/Nm, making it an ideal material for high-performance grinding media. The wear rate is 10-20 times lower than glass beads and 3-5 times lower than alumina beads.
5.Density: Relative density typically 6.0-6.1g/cm³, higher than most ceramic materials, providing higher kinetic energy and grinding efficiency.
4.2 Thermal Properties
1.High Melting Point: Pure zirconia has a melting point of approximately 2715°C, one of the highest among known oxide ceramics.
2.Thermal Expansion Coefficient: Approximately 10-11×10⁻⁶/K (room temperature to 1000°C), close to some metal alloys.
3.Thermal Stability: Stabilized zirconia beads can be used at high temperatures for extended periods without phase transformation or performance degradation, with working temperatures above 1000°C.
4.3 Chemical Properties
1.Chemical Stability: Extremely high resistance to most acids, alkalis, and organic solvents at room temperature, only slowly dissolving in concentrated hydrofluoric acid and hot phosphoric acid.
2.Biocompatibility: Zirconia is a biologically inert material that does not react adversely with biological tissues, making it suitable for pharmaceutical and food processing applications.
3.Surface Properties: Moderate surface energy, which can be adjusted through surface treatment to be hydrophilic/hydrophobic, adapting to different grinding media requirements.
4.4 Service Life and Cost-Effectiveness
1.Service Life: Under normal usage conditions, the service life of zirconia beads is 10-20 times that of glass beads and 3-5 times that of alumina beads.
2.Wear Characteristics: Wear is uniform, without sudden breakage, helping to maintain stable grinding effects and reduce contamination risks.
3.Cost-Effectiveness: Although the initial investment is higher, considering the long service life and stable grinding effect, there are significant cost advantages in long-term use.
In which industries do zirconia beads play a key role? How do you choose the product that best meets your needs?
Application of Zirconium Oxide Beads
Coatings and Ink Industry
1. Application Scenarios: Used for ultra-fine grinding and dispersion of pigments and dyes, improving color saturation and stability.
2. Recommended Products:
- Small size (0.3-1.0mm) YSZ or CSZ beads
- Filling rate: 70-80%
- Grinding speed: 8-12m/s
3. Advantages: Efficient dispersion, almost zero contamination, no impact on product hue and gloss.
Electronic Materials Industry
1. Application Scenarios: Used for grinding and dispersing battery materials (such as lithium battery cathode materials), electronic slurries, multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC), etc.
2. Recommended Products:
- Micro and small beads (0.1-0.5mm) YSZ or CSZ beads
- Filling rate: 65-75%
- Grinding speed: 6-10m/s
3. Advantages: Ultra-fine grinding capability, high purity, no introduction of impurities, improving the performance and consistency of electronic materials.
Fine Chemical Industry
1. Application Scenarios: Used for grinding and dispersing pesticides, catalysts, pharmaceutical intermediates, etc.
2. Recommended Products:
- Small and medium beads (0.5-2.0mm) YSZ or ZTA beads
- Filling rate: 70-85%
- Grinding speed: 8-14m/s
3. Advantages: High chemical stability, no reaction with reactants, ensuring product purity.
Ceramics and Mineral Processing Industry
1. Application Scenarios: Used for grinding and dispersing ceramic raw materials, mineral fillers (such as calcium carbonate, kaolin), etc.
2. Recommended Products:
- Medium and large beads (2.0-10.0mm) MSZ or ZTA beads
- Filling rate: 80-90%
- Grinding speed: 10-15m/s
3. Advantages: High hardness and wear resistance, suitable for grinding hard minerals, with long service life.
Metal Surface Treatment Industry
1. Application Scenarios: Used for surface polishing and strengthening treatment of precious metals and precision components.
2. Recommended Products:
- Medium beads (1.0-5.0mm) YSZ beads
- Vibration frequency: 50-60Hz
- Processing time: 30-120 minutes
3. Advantages: Higher density provides greater kinetic energy, smooth surface without scratching workpieces, achieving high-quality surfaces.
Selection Guide
To ensure optimal grinding results, consider the following factors when selecting zirconia beads:
1.Material Characteristics:
- Hardness: The higher the material hardness, the higher the bead hardness required
- Initial particle size: The larger the particle size, the larger the beads should be in the initial stage
- Target fineness: The higher the target fineness, the smaller the beads should be
2.Grinding Equipment:
- Horizontal sand mill: Suitable for 0.3-2.0mm beads, used for ink and coating dispersion
- Vertical sand mill: Suitable for 0.5-3.0mm beads, used for coating and pesticide dispersion
- Stirred mill: Suitable for 0.1-1.0mm beads, used for metal and electronic material grinding
3.Economic Factors:
- Initial investment: YSZ > CSZ > MSZ > ZTA
- Service life: YSZ ≈ CSZ > MSZ > ZTA
- Comprehensive cost: Needs to be evaluated based on specific applications and usage frequency
4.Operation Recommendations:
- Control filling rate between 65-90%, as rates that are too high or too low will affect grinding efficiency
- Adjust grinding speed according to bead size and material characteristics, avoiding excessive speeds that cause bead damage
- Regularly check bead wear conditions, replenish or replace in a timely manner
How do you ensure the quality of zirconia beads? How will future technology develop?
Quality Control Standards
The production of high-quality zirconia beads must comply with strict quality control standards:
1.Raw Material Control:
- Raw material purity: ZrO₂ content ≥99.0% (high-purity grade)
- Impurity control: Fe2O3≤0.05%, SiO₂≤0.3%, Al2O3≤0.1%
- Stabilizer content: Y2O3 content error ≤±0.2mol%
2.Physical Property Indicators:
- Density: ≥6.0g/cm³ (YSZ)
- Hardness: ≥1200HV
- Sphericity: ≥95%
- Size error: ±5%
3.Testing Methods:
- X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF): Composition analysis
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM): Microstructure analysis
- Archimedes Method: Density determination
- Laser Particle Size Analysis: Size distribution determination
Why Choose Global Industry for Your Zircona?
Industry-Leading Zirconia Quality Control for Consistent Production Results
Global Industry's zirconium oxide undergoes rigorous 7-stage quality testing to ensure consistent particle size, purity level, and chemical composition batch after batch. Our advanced manufacturing facility maintains strict quality parameters with ±0.5% tolerance, eliminating the production disruptions caused by inconsistent raw materials. Each shipment includes comprehensive material certifications and detailed technical documentation, providing your technical team with complete transparency and confidence in our zirconia's performance characteristics. Our quality control processes are specifically designed to meet the exacting standards of technical ceramics, industrial coatings, and specialty applications.
Flexible Supply Chain Solutions with Guaranteed Delivery Timelines
As a direct manufacturer, we maintain strategic inventory levels of our most popular zirconia grades, reducing standard lead times to just 25 days—significantly below the industry average of 45 days. Our flexible minimum order quantities accommodate both regular production needs and urgent requirements, with options starting from just 500kg. Our dedicated logistics team provides real-time inventory visibility and production capacity updates through our secure client portal, allowing procurement managers to plan with confidence. We offer guaranteed delivery schedules with contractual reliability clauses, backed by our 98.7% on-time delivery record, ensuring your production lines never face costly downtime due to material shortages.
Technical Expertise and Customized Zirconia Specifications
Our in-house technical team includes 6 materials engineers with specialized expertise in zirconium applications across various industries. We provide comprehensive technical support, including custom particle size distribution, specific surface area adjustments, and specialized dopant additions tailored to your exact manufacturing requirements. Our technical consultation service helps optimize material performance while potentially reducing overall costs by 5-12% through precise specification matching. We offer pre-purchase material testing and detailed application recommendations, with technical documentation available in both English and Chinese. Our R&D department continuously develops improved zirconia formulations based on client feedback and industry advancements.
Transparent Pricing Structure with Long-Term Partnership Benefits
Our factory-direct pricing model eliminates intermediaries, providing clear cost advantages with savings of 8-15% compared to distribution channels. We offer 6-month price stability guarantees to protect your budget planning from market volatility, with transparent explanations of any factors affecting future pricing. Our tiered volume discount structure rewards long-term partnerships with additional cost reductions of 3-7% for annual contracts. We provide detailed cost breakdowns that help procurement teams justify supplier decisions to management, along with customized payment terms that align with your company's financial processes. As your trusted zirconia supplier, we're committed to supporting your cost reduction initiatives while maintaining the premium quality your production demands.
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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