Electroporcelains
The natural starting materials of technical porcelain, Group C100 alkaline alumino-silicate porcelain, are quartz, feldspar and kaolin. The technical application of siliceous porcelain (C110, C111 and C112) is in low voltage areas. In view of increasing demands, ceramists developed porcelains with improved electrical, mechanical and thermal properties by changing the less expensive quartz (SiO2) by alumina (Al2O3). C120 and C130 porcelains have increasing alumina contents. Thus the outstanding features of aluminous porcelain are its higher strength even under permanent thermal load and its favourable long-term behaviour in outdoor conditions. Aluminous porcelain is mostly used for overhead cable insulators. Nowadays VICAR has materials according the norm C110, C111, C120 and C130 although exists the possibility of developing products according to specifications requested by our clients. For more detailed info about the products corresponding to this family, technical and safety data sheet, please get in touch with VICAR.
Steatites
Steatite is a ceramic material based on natural raw materials and consists mainly of soapstone (magnesium silicate) with the addition of clay and feldspar or barium carbonate as fluxes. Special steatite possesses excellent mechanical and dielectric properties, and has been used for years in various applications in electrical engineering, for electronic parts and in heat engineering. Typical applications include sockets, control housings, insulating beads, low-voltage power fuses and base plates. Forsterites are compositions richer in Magnesium Oxide than steatites and have similar uses. These compositions form the group of magnesium silicates (C200 group). The type of flux influences the electrical characteristics and leads to the following differentiation: steatite for low-frequency (C210), normal steatite (C220), as well as special steatite with "low loss factor" (C221).The group include a family of porous steatites (C230) and two Forsterite compositions, porous (C240) and dense (C250). Nowadays VICAR has materials according the norm C220, C221, and C230 although exists the possibility of developing products according to specifications requested by our clients. For more detailed info about the products corresponding to this family, technical and safety data sheet, please get in touch with VICAR.
Dense Porcelains C400 - Cordierites C500
In the C400 group are included dense porcelains, alkalinearth or zircon based, for insulators. In this group are included the group C410 cordierites which are often found in insulating applications, heating cartridges for soldering irons or electrical engineering. In the group C500 are included the aluminosilicates magnesics materials. The most important crystalline phase in these compositions is the cordierite (2MgO.2Al2O3.5MgO) where the most important property is its low thermal expansion coefficient and its good mechanical resistance.
Aluminas
C700 group is made up of high content alumina compositions (3Al2O3). It comprises C780, C786, C795 and C799 sug-groups depending on alumina content in composition. C780 compositions have 80-86% alumina; C786 compositions have a 86-95% alumina content; C795 compositions have 96 -99% alumina and to be included in C799 sub-group it's needed alumina contents higher than 99%. Aluminium oxide (Al2O3) is the most important technical oxide ceramic material and has the widest range of applications due to outstanding features as high strength and hardness, high resistance to wear and corrosion, high thermal conductivity, excellent insulation properties, high toughness and high-temperature strength. This material is more or less employed in all field of application because of its many properties and combination of properties and because of its good price-performance ratio. It's being used in electrical engineering, in electronics, in mechanical and plant engineering, in chemical and processing technology, in medical technology ,.... Nowadays VICAR has materials according the norm C780, C786, C795 and C799 although exists the possibility of developing products according to specifications requested by our clients. For more detailed info about the products corresponding to this family, technical and safety data sheet, please get in touch with VICAR.
Mullites
C600 group is made up of high content mullite compositions (3 Al2O3.2 SiO2). It comprises C610 and C620 sug-groups depending on alumina content. C610 compositions have 50-65% alumina and C620 compositions have a 65-80% alumina content. Microstructure of these materials is formed of mullite, corundum and vitreous phase with low porosity levels. They are dense materials with high strength, low thermal expansion, high resistance to corrosion of molten metals and high resistance to creep at high temperatures. Applications include thermocouple protection tubes, carrying rollers for high temperature roller kilns, refractory parts for foundry ... Nowadays VICAR has materials according the norm C610 and C620 although exists the possibility of developing products according to specifications requested by our clients. For more detailed info about the products corresponding to this family, technical and safety data sheet, please get in touch with VICAR.
Refractory bodies and Bodies for crucibles
Under this generic name are different groups used for the fabrications of refractories elements, murals, sculptures, or any other applications for high temperature firing. These compositions used to be made with a mix of refractory clays and diverse chamotte qualities. The particle size of these bodies usually arrives to 3 mm to help the resistance of the tensions caused by the gross thickness of the final parts or by the thermal chock. We include into this family of materials the BODIES FOR CRUCIBLES which are special bodies for the manufacture of crucibles. They can be used for covering graffito crucibles or directly in foundry of precious metals. For more detailed info about the products corresponding to this family, technical and safety data sheet, please get in touch with VICAR.
Zircona
The zirconium oxide or zircona (ZrO2) crystallizes in the monoclinic, tetragonal or cubic systems. The transformation to the monoclinic structure brings a volumetric change so the sinterized parts must be manufactured in the cubic and tetragonal system. To stabilize these crystalline structures different cations are used such as magnesium oxide (MgO), calcium oxide (CaO) or ytria oxide (Y2O3). The stabilization can be totally (totally stabilized zircona, TSZ) or partially (partially stabilized zircona, PSZ) The PSZ has a high technical importance because it prevent the tetragonal phase transformation to monoclinic phase due to its “pre-tension” which it let an increase of the resistance and hardness. The zirconium oxide has achieved a high importance in the last years due to its extremely fracture resistance, high wear and corrosion resistance, thermal expansion similar to cast iron, low thermal conductivity and as a measurer of the partial oxygen pressure. For more detailed info about the products corresponding to this family, technical and safety data sheet, please get in touch with VICAR.
Porous Bodies
Under this generic name are diverse groups used for the manufacture of elements with controlled porosity. In several applications are used these materials: filtering water, juices or any other kind of drinks; melting metals filtration; as a thermal insulation… The chemistry composition of these materials is according to the use where they are focused as well as the distribution and size of the generated porous. For more detailed info about the products corresponding to this family, technical and safety data sheet, please get in touch with VICAR.
