An Overview of Ceramic Components in Industrial and Medical Applications

What would be the best material that can provide insulation, heat dissipation, strength, durability, corrosion resistance, and even biocompatibility? There is hardly any other material except ceramic. Lots of industries heavily rely on ceramic components to achieve ideal results, ranging from electrical conductivity to biocompatibility. This material has various features to fit into different industries, demonstrating its compatibility. Silicon carbide, silicon nitride, zirconia, and alumina are some of the subcategories of ceramics that provide desired results. How do they succeed in various industries? You will find out about that in this blog.

Medical Implants

When it comes to bone replacement, the primary consideration is biocompatibility. Unless the material is biocompatible, doctors can’t install it to support the bone structure. There are very few compatible materials out there, and ceramic is one of them. It meets all the requirements for the installation inside the human and animal bodies. The orthopedic industry has only a few options, including titanium, ceramic, and a few others. The first two options are the most common because of their higher advantages. 

Since it is about ceramics, let’s keep the focus on it. Hip joints, knee joints, spine, and a few other areas that require high mobility and flexibility need ceramic implants. The lightweight implants made of ceramic provide motion, strength, and durability. Moreover, the wear resistance level is high, which makes them a suitable choice for medical implants. Even the hardness and chemical inertness are high, which makes them biocompatible. Neither will there be any leaching nor degradation since ceramic implants have an anticorrosion nature.

Dental Implants

Then another medical field uses ceramic implants, which is the dental field. Since it also requires biocompatible implants that should be durable, lightweight, and rugged, ceramic suits also fit this industry. Dentists use crowns, dentures, bridges, and various types of implants. They chose ceramic because of its high wear resistance level. Since our teeth are supposed to do lots of work in terms of chewing food, the risk of wear and tear increases. The good thing is that ceramic implants are the best choice for that. They have high strength against abrasion and cracks, which makes them last longer inside the jaw.

Their high hardness makes them withstand high pressure in strong bites and fast chewing. Moreover, the chemical inertness makes them free of leaching. That means there will be no risk of corrosion, leaching, or even chemical reaction inside the mouth. As a result, the mouth will be free of any infection.

Although titanium implants have excellent strength and durability, they sometimes expose their metallic screws. That could make others find out about the artificial tooth. At the same time, the ceramic implant has a similar color to other teeth, which makes it blend with the other teeth easily. It is hard to detect which one is an artificial tooth due to its color.

Semiconductors  

Substrates, ICs, resistors, capacitors, diodes, and transistors share a standard material, namely ceramic. They are all made of ceramic to become semiconductors. For optimal information flow under specific conditions, semiconductors provide the best support. They allow only the particular current rate required by sensitive components in an electronic board. Their electrical insulation and conduction are limited, which makes them the best choice for electronics. 

Therefore, ceramic is one of the best materials in the semiconductor industry. Their low thermal expansion, electrical insulation, semiconductivity, and anticorrosive nature make them the optimum choice. Ceramic also resists cracks and wear, which is why semiconductors last long enough. Sensitive components get additional protection from ceramic coating.

Auto Parts

Every automotive part is supposed to be metallic, because heat and electricity conduction have to be prevented in some areas of the automobile. Whether it is a two-wheeler, a four-wheeler, or any larger vehicle, they all need semiconductive components for safe outcomes. For instance, a spark plug insulator is made of ceramic, which prevents electrical conduction to avoid electric shocks. Also, they prevent the heat expansion to prevent any overheating. 

Then come ceramic brake pads that offer strength, wear resistance, and heat resistance. Sometimes, non-metallic and non-carbon pads are a good choice for some vehicles. The cost and also the weight of ceramic components is low. Similarly, ceramic ball bearings are used in the automotive industry to reduce the risk of wear and tear. What makes ceramic a low-cost and suitable choice for auto parts is its chemical inertness, electrical insulation, and low thermal expansion.  

Valve Seals 

Valves have to deal with massive pressure and heat impact. The flow of fluids and gases causes a high risk of corrosion, whether it is moisture-based or chemical-based. What makes ceramic seals better than metal is their corrosion resistance and slight flexibility. When the valve is turned on and off, the pressure mounts on the seats, which means they are slightly suppressed, and metal can not support it really well. The risk of corrosion makes it worse. 

This is why ceramic seals suit harsh conditions where there is risk of wear and tear, corrosion, and heat expansion. Its hardness and chemical inertness make it a heavy-duty material for valve seals in harsh conditions. Different kinds of fluids and gases can not cause much impact on it because of its strength. 

Electrical Insulators

To enhance the safety of electrical devices, manufacturers install insulators in them. Also, the flow current has to be designed to avoid some components. These components are made of ceramic because they can withstand high temperatures and electrical currents. Since some types of ceramics can resist these two energies, insulating components are made of ceramic to deal with them. 

Neither is there any melting due to overheating, nor is there wear and tear. The ceramic components prevent the opposite connections from causing any explosion. The electrical insulation becomes successful through the dielectric nature of the ceramic. Even a very low thermal expansion makes it easier for ceramic components to survive in electric conditions longer. Therefore, electric boards, transformers, and various high-voltage devices have ceramic insulators. They prevent the accidents by blocking the ions from passing through. Even their heat dissipation makes them a suitable choice to avoid electrical and electronic devices from overheating. 

Conclusion

Ceramic is a versatile material that deals with various challenges and also assists in multiple functions. All because of its unique nature, which makes it a suitable choice for many industries. From semiconductors to medical implants, it encompasses many applications through its biocompatibility and insulating properties. Moreover, its strength lies in dealing with the risk of wear and tear over the long term. Neither water nor chemical corrosion can cause any damage to it. These are the factors that describe the level of compatibility of ceramic components in multiple industries.