Description

Ceramic sheets and boards are stock shapes available as solid plates, slabs, and substrates. The board or plate may consist of a ceramic fiberboard product, a dense sintered ceramic plate, or a precast cement bonded slab.

Materials

Ceramic sheets and boards are made of many different types of ceramic materials. Choices include:

• Alumina
• Alumina oxide
• Alumina-zirconia
• Aluminum-nitride
• Aluminum silicate
• Boron carbide
• Boron nitride
• Calcium aluminate
• Carbon
• Ceria
• Cordierite
• Forsterite
• Graphite
• Hafnia
• Hafnium oxide
• Kaolin or clay-based
• Magnesia
• Magnesite
• Metal boride
• Mullite
• Rare earth oxides (REO)
• Porcelain
• Sapphire
• Silica
• Fused silica
• Silicon carbide
• Silicon nitride
• SiAION*
• Silicide
• Steatite
• Titania
• Yttria
• Tungsten carbide
• Zircon
• Zirconia
• Zirconium phosphate

*SiAION is an alloy of silicon nitride and aluminum oxide that provides a superior refractory material.      

Applications

There are many different applications for ceramic sheets and boards.

Bioceramics are specially formulated or designed to have suitable biocompatibility for biotechnology and medical applications.

Optical-grade materials are used in the fabrication or processing of optical components such as lenses, windows, or prisms.

Some ceramic sheets and boards are used in chemical and material processing, dielectric and electrical insulating, or foundry and metal processing applications.

Others are used to fabricate electrical parts for high voltage (HV) or power applications.

Ceramic boards that are designed for electronics, radio frequency (RF), microwave, structural, or wear parts applications are also available from many different suppliers.

Specifications

Dimensional specifications for ceramic sheets and boards are given as length, width, and thickness or wall thickness. Units of measure include inches (in) and fractions of inches, and millimeters (mm) and centimeters (cm).

In terms of features, some products are coated, hollow, or modified. Others are porous to provide insulation, or made of single-crystal materials that exhibit desirable piezoelectric, optical or magnetic properties. Sintered ceramic sheets and boards are also available. Often, hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is used to densify these materials.    

Standards

GM CMZ ZZ013AA - Sheet-ceramic fiber insulation

SAE AMS3871 - Glazed ceramic sheet 95% alumina

SAA AS 4359.2 - Insulating refractory ceramic fibers - board

References

Image Credits:

Simond Fibertech Limited | CeramTec North America | Global Insulation Products