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Aerospace field
High-performance special ceramic materials, also called advanced ceramics, mainly refer to ceramic materials with unique and excellent properties, which are prepared from high-purity synthetic inorganic compounds using modern material processes. Therefore, the material is used for the preparation of ceramic matrix composites (CMC) with the advantages of low density, high temperature oxidation resistance, corrosion resistance, low coefficient of thermal expansion, low creep, etc. It has a wide range of applications in high technology fields such as aviation/aerospace/weaponry/marine. Among them, silicon carbide based ceramic composites are the most intensively researched and best commercialized high performance special ceramic materials.
Turbine rotor with ceramic matrix composite blades
In order to improve the output efficiency of combustion engines, aerospace engines, gas turbine hot-end component need to withstand high temperatures of 600℃~1200℃ and the interaction of complex stresses, the material requirements are very demanding. Compared with high-temperature alloys, silicon carbide can not only withstand high temperature, its density is only 1/4~1/3 of high-temperature alloys, which means that the weight of the engine can be further reduced, the same fuel load, the range of the aircraft and the bomb load can be significantly increased.
On the demand side, with the finalization of high thrust-to-weight ratio aero engines, the urgent need for space vehicle technology and rapid development, CMC, as a new generation material, has already shown great potential for development in military and civil applications. According to MarketsandMarkets forecast, the global ceramic matrix composites market will grow rapidly at a CAGR of 9.65% during the 10-year period 2016-2026, reaching $7.51 billion by 2026.
Foreign silicon carbide fibers started early and have strong technical reserves. Due to the extremely high technical barriers, prices are consistently high and are consistently embargoed to China.
Ceramic Matrix Composites
What is ceramic matrix composite material? It is a type of composite material with ceramic as the matrix and various fibers. The ceramic matrix can be high-temperature structural ceramics such as silicon nitride and silicon carbide. These advanced ceramics have excellent properties such as high temperature resistance, high strength and stiffness, relatively light weight, and corrosion resistance, while the fatal weakness is that they are brittle and will crack or even fracture when in a stress state leading to material failure. The use of high-strength, high-elasticity fiber composite with the matrix is an effctivily way to improve the toughness and reliability of ceramic. The use of high-strength, high-elasticity fiber composite with the matrix is an effective way to improve the toughness and reliability of ceramics. The fibers can prevent the expansion of cracks, thus obtaining fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites with excellent toughness.
Ceramic matrix composites have been used as liquid rocket engine nozzels, missile antennae covers, space shuttle nose cones, aircraft brake discs and high-grade automobile brake disc, etc., becoming an important branch of new materials for high technology.
Since ceramic materials have excellent wear resistance, and high hardness and good corrosion resistance, they have gained very wide application. However, the biggest drawback of ceramics is that they are brittle and sensitive to cracks and porosity, etc. Since the 1980s, ceramic-based composites obtained by adding particles, whiskers and fibers to ceramic materials have greatly improved the toughness of ceramics.
Ceramic matrix composites with high strength, high modulus, low density, high temperature resistance, wear and corrosion resistance and good toughness have been used in high speed cutting tools and internal combustion engine components. However, the development of these materials is late and their potential is yet to be further exploited. Research focuses on their application to high temperature materials and wear and corrosion resistant materials, such as enhanced turbines for high-power internal combustion engines, thermal components for aerospace vehicles, and instead of metal for vehicle engines, petrochemical containers, waste waste incineration treatment equipment, etc.
When it comes to ceramics, people naturally think of its characteristic of brittleness. A decade or so ago, it would have been impossible for anyone to accept it if it was used as a load-bearing part in the engineering field. Until now when it comes to ceramic composites, some people may not be aware that ceramics and materials were originally two unrelated basic materials, but it is only since people have cleverly combined ceramics and metals that the concept of this material has fundamentally changed, which is ceramaic matrix composites.
Ceramic matrix composites are a promising new structural material in the aerospace industry, especially in aero-engine manufacturing applications, which are increasingly showing their uniqueness. In addition to the advantages of light weight and high hardness, ceramic matrix composites also have excellent resistance to high hardness, ceramic matrix composties also have excellent resistance to high temperatures and high temperature corrosion resistance. Currently, ceramic matrix composites have surpassed metal heat resistant materials in terms of withstanding high temperatures and have excellent mechanical properties and chemical stability, making them an excellent material ideal for the high temperature region of high performance turbine engines.
Countries around the world are focusing on silicon nitride and silicon carbide reinforced ceramic materials in response to the material requirements of next-generation advanced engines, and great progress has been made, especially for applications in modern aero engines. For example, the F120 engine of the U.S proving aircraft , its high-pressure turbine seals, part of the high-temperature parts of the combustion chamber, are made of ceramic materials. For example, the French M88-2 engine's coumbustion chamber and nozzle are also made of ceramic-based composites.
Carbon/Carbon Composites
What is carbon/carbon composite? It is a carbon matrix composite matertial reinforced by carbon fiber and its fabric. It ha s the advantages of low density (＜2.0g/cm³), high strength, specific modulus, and thermal conductivity, lowexpansion coefficient, good friction performance, as well as good thermal shock resistance and high dimensional stability, especially it is one of the few alternative materials applied above 1650 ℃, and the highest theoretical temperature is even higher than 2600℃, so it is considered as one of the most promising high temperature materials in the world.
Althogh carbon/carbon composites have many excellent high-temperature properties, they undergo oxidation in an aerobic environment at temperatures above 400℃, resulting in a dramatic degradation of the material's performance. Therefore, the application of carbon/carbon composites in high temperature aerobic environment must have oxidation protection measure. The oxidation protection of carbon/carbon composites is mainly through two ways, i.e., at lower temperatures, matrix modification and passivaiton of surface active sites can be taken to protect carbon/carbon composites from direct contact with oxygen for the purpose of oxidation protection. Currently the most used method is the coating method, as technology continues to advance, there is an increasing reliance on the ultra-high temperature performance of carbon/caborn composites, and the only feasible oxidation protection solution under ultra0high temperature conditions can only be coating protection.
It is worth mentioning that C/C matrix composites are one of the most valued new materials for higher temperature resistance in the world in recent years. Because only C/C composite material is considered the only material that can be made as the successor of turbine rotor blades with thrust-to-weight ratio above 20 and engine inlet temperature up to 1930-2227℃. It used to be the high-temperature resistant material that the United States focused on developing in the 21st century, especially the highest strategic target that advanced industrial countries around the world strived to pursue.
The so-called C/C matrix composites are carbon fiber reinforced carbon basic composites, which combine the fusibility of carbon with the high strength and high rigidity of carbon fiber in one, so that they show non-brittle damage. Since C/C matrix composite has light weight, high strength, superior thermal stability and excellent thermal conductivity, it is the most ideal high temperature resistant material today, especially in the high temperature environment of 1000-1300℃，its strength not only does not decrease, but can increase. In particular, it still maintains the strength and windiness in room temperature environment when it is below 1650 ℃. Therefore, C/C matrix composites have very great potential for development in the aerospace manufacturing industy.
It is worth mentioning that one of the main problems of C/C-based composites in aero-engine applications is the poor oxidation resistance, so in recent years the U.S. has taken a series of process measures to get this problem solved and gradually applied to new engines. For example, the tail nozzle of the F119 engine, the nozzel and combustion chamber are also made of C/C based composite materials.
Mechanical bearing field
Bearings are an extremely important component of mechanical equipment and are very commonly used. Its main function is to support the mechanical rotating body, reduce its friction coefficient when moving, and ensure its rotary accuracy. Its role is similar to that of human joints, known as the "joints of machinery", it is the soul of all rotating machinery, so it is also known as the chip of the machinery industry.
Silicon nitride material is a high-strength artificial crystal with small density, high hardness, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, electrical insulation, non-permeability, high compressive strength, good self-lubricating properties and many other points. The hybrid cermaic bearing made of the advantages of high compressive strength of silicon nitride material and high bending strength and good toughness of alloy steel, and has a series of advantages such as light weight, high ultimate speed, small friction torque, good running accuracy and long service life at high temperature compared with ordinaty steel ball bearings.
Silicon nitride ceramic ball bearings are the world's most researched, highest performing and most widely used high-end ceramic bearings. Silicon nitride ceramic ball bearings are almost synonymous with ceramic bearings. According to the Foresight Industrial Reserach Institute data show that the retail size of silicon nitride ceramic bearing ball market reached 70.1 billion yuan in 2020, the market size is expected to reach 72.3 billion yuan in 2021, with an average annual compound growth rate of 11.26% in the next five years, and is expected to reach 110.8 nillion yuan in 2025, with new energy vehicles as the main growth point.
On the supply side, the major global manufacturers of silicon nitride spheres include Toshiba, Tsubaki, Nakashima, CoorsTek, AKS, and IndustrialTectonicsInc, which account for 45% of the global silicon nitride spheres market share. Asia Pacific is currently the largest market for silicon nitride spheres with a market share of 48%, followed by Europe and North America.
New energy fields
Along with the rapid development of electronic technology and the global demand for new energy vehicles, lithium-ion ba tteries dominate the market in many applications with the advantages of high capacity, light weight, rechargeable and low self-discharge. At present, China is the world's largest lithium battery production base, the development potential of China's lithium battaries is huge. However, there are still problems with the safety and cycle life of lithium-ion battaries, such as th occurrence of numerous cell phone spontaneous combustion, electric car fires, explosions and other accidents to sound the alarm of safety.
Sem and structure schematic of AlOOH ceramic composite diaphragm
Ceramic diaphragm coating materials are generally chosen from alumina and boehmite. The lithium-ion battery is composed of four parts: electrode (positive and negative), isolate (diaphragm), electrolyte and shell, of which the diaphragm is one of the key inner components, which not only enables lithium ions to be embedded and de-embedded between the positive and negative electrodes to ensure the cycling performance of the battery, but also makes the positive and negtive electrodes in isolation during the work engineering to ensure the safety performance of the battery. For cycle performance and safety performance considerations, domestic and foreign diaphragm manufacturers are aimed at ceramic diaphragm, because ceramic diaphragm organic solvent resistance, good compatibility with electrolyte, high absorption rate, high tensile strength, high puncture strength, low thermal shrinkage, high film breakage temperature, low thermal shrinkage rate.
According to BYD's lithium battery separator invention patent "a battery separator and its preparation method" (CN201310750910.7), in the inorganic coating slurry, the mass ratio of water is 76%, and the mass ratio of solid material ceramic coating particles and resin materials are 22% and 2% respectively. Therefore, the ceramic coating particles represented by bomite are the most important raw materials for lithium battery coating materials.
On the demand side, according to the "White Paper on China Lithium-ion Battery Separator Industry (2020)" jointly released by research institute EVTank and Ivey Institute of Economics, the shipment of lithium battery coating materials in China in 2019 is 15,500 tons, of which 14,000 tons of inorganic coating materials are shipped, accounting for 90.32%, organic coating materials, organic and inorganic combination of coating materials account for less than 10%, inorganic coating materials for the mainstream of the market coating materials. It is expected that the amount of inorganic coating materials will reach 4.04 billion square meters in 2025.
Supply side, with the expansion of the national porcelain materials, the domestic ceramic coating field will show two large and small competition pattern. In the field of lithium battery coating materials, according to statistics, in 2019, Germany's NabaltecAG lithium battery with Bumite shipments of 0.48 million tons, accounting for 37%, ranking first in the world, One Stone pass lithium battery with Bumite shipments of 0.47 million tons, accounting for 36%, ranking second in the world, the first domestic.
Vehicle Exhaust Adsorption Field
In recent years, as the Chinese government attaches great importance to environmental protection issues, heavy-duty diesel emission regulations have been upgraded, and the limits are becoming more and more stringent. The upcoming National VI standard is considered to be one of the most stringent emission standards in the world.
Honeycomb ceramics are ceramic materials with a large number of internal honeycomb passages. Cellular ceramics have the advantages of high pore density and large specific surface area; low coefficient of thermal expansion and good thermal stability; acid and alkali resistance and organic solvents, good corrosion resistance; excellent mechanical properties; excellent antibacterial properties, etc. They are mainly used as carriers of catalytic devices for active catalysts and catalytic additives loading operations, and are the most common catalyst carriers for exhaust gas treatment catalysts.
The domestic honeycomb ceramics market is still monopolized by foreign enterprises, and the domestic business field has a broad space for import substitution.
High-purity alumina powder is white micro powder, uniform particle size, easy to disperse, stable chemical properties, moderate high temperature shrinkage performance, with good sintering performance; widely used in automotive exhaust gas ceramic coating. The active components in automotive exhaust catalysts usually need to be attached to the coating to ensure certain dispersion, thermal stability and mechanical strength. Among the various crystalline types of alumina, γ-Al2O3 has strong adsorption capacity and large specific surface area, and is the main coating material used at present.
Under the national six standard, the DOC and DPF of diesel vehicles will be used for alumina coating, and according to the statistics of the Cellular Ceramic Association, the coating volume is about 20% of the volume of cellular ceramics, which can be calculated to be used in diesel vehicles at about 120g/L. It is estimated that the domestic alumina demand will reach 11,171 tons in 2022.
This article is taken from iacechina.com
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