Machining / Grinding Zirconia Ceramics

CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC has years of experience manufacturing micron level tolerance products from Zirconia ceramics. We leverage our in-depth dicing, drilling, milling, grinding, and polishing capability to manufacture the highest quality Zirconia products.

Whether you need prototypes or volume production, CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC is here to help. Please contact us to discuss your applications.

About Zirconia Ceramics

Zirconia (ZrO2) doped with certain stabilizers relies on stress-induced phase transformations to yield a ceramic material with very high room temperature fracture toughness. It is known for its good strength characteristics as well. The precise properties of Zirconia depend on the type and amount of stabilizer used, but the properties of all Zirconia blends degrade rapidly at relatively low temperature regimes for technical ceramics. Zirconia becomes electrically conductive above 600°C.

Partially Stabilized Zirconia (PSZ) is a common, lower cost and cream colored blend. Although several stabilizers are used for PSZ, approximately 10% MgO is the most prevalent.

Yittria Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal (YTZP) is named for the fact that the rare earth material Yittria is used as the phase transformation stabilizing material. YTZP's material properties are similar to PSZ except YTZP has higher strength and fracture toughness. YTZP is used in cutting and wear resistance applications due to its high hardness and fracture toughness. The properties of this class of Zirconia degrades rapidly at 200°C to 300°C in the presence of water vapor, but can be used at temperatures as high as 800°C in inert environments.

Zirconia Applications

Zirconia Properties

 

Units

MgO Partially Stabilized Zirconia (PSZ)

Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal (TZP)
Max Use Temperature
(No Load)		 C 400 - 1000 500 -  1500
Thermal Shock (Quenching) C 300 - 400 260 - 360
Thermal Conductivity W/(m K) 1.5 - 3 2.0 - 2.9
Specific Heat  J/(K kg) 400 - 550 400 - 610
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion 1/C (x10e-6) 5.0 - 12.5 5.7 - 11
Color Ivory Ivory
Moh Hardness >8 6.5
Vickers Hardness kg/mm^2 1120 - 1275 1250
Knoop Hardness kg/mm^2 1120 - 1300 1000-1600
Density g/cm^3 5.5 - 6.0 5.9 - 6.1
Porosity % of nominal 0 0
Compressive Strength Mpa 1760 - 2000 2500 - 4800
Tensile Strength Mpa 300 - 450 300 - 600
Flexural Strength MPa 400 - 1020 800 - 1240
Fracture Toughness MPa m^1/2 6.0 - 12.0 7.0 - 13.0
Young's Modulus GPa 140 - 210 200 - 210
Poisson's ratio 0.23 - 0.31 0.23 - 0.32
Dielectric Strength kv/cm 20 - 100 90
Dielectric Constant (@1MHz) 26 - 29
Dielectric Loss Tangent 0.001 0.001
Resistivity ohm cm   10^11 - 10^15  >10^13
The information provided in this table is for room temperature only, and is a compilation of publicly available data.  This information is provided for comparison purposes only, and is not intended to be warrantable.   Further, CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC disclaims any and all liability from errors, inaccuracies, or omissions.

 

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your Zirconia dicing, drilling, milling, grinding, polishing or any other machining applications.