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Zirconia
A high-toughness ceramic for close-tolerance wear parts, precision motion and contact-stress applications.
Y-TZP and stabilized zirconia precision ceramics
Technical specifications
Typical reference data for first-round screening.
Values are typical engineering references. Final material selection should confirm grade, process route, geometry, tolerance and test method.
| Density | 5.60–6.00 g/cm³ typical, stabilized grade dependent |
|---|---|
| Hardness | 10.8–12.0 GPa (converted from HV1 1100–1220) |
| Max service temperature | 800 °C in air for the referenced Y-TZP grades |
| Thermal conductivity | 2.5–3.0 W/(m·K) at room temperature |
| Flexural strength | 500–900 MPa typical at room temperature |
| Fracture toughness | 6–9 MPa·m¹/² typical, stabilized grade dependent |
| Electrical behavior | Electrical insulator in many grades |
Typical applications
- Precision shafts, sleeves and guide rollers
- Valve balls, seats, plungers and metering parts
- Close-tolerance components under repeated contact load
- Wear components where alumina chips or cracks
Advantages
- Superior fracture toughness among common technical ceramics
- High flexural strength for precision components
- Good surface finish and dimensional control
- Strong resistance to crack propagation under load
Comparison notes
- Choose zirconia when contact stress, edge loading and crack resistance dominate.
- Compared with SiC, zirconia is tougher but less suitable for very high thermal conductivity or continuous ultra-high-temperature service.
Application review
Not sure if ZrO2 is the right material?
Send the working temperature, medium, wear mode, load, drawing, current failure problem and quantity. We can compare Zirconia against other ceramic options.
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