When manufacturing complex-shaped components such as rods, tubes, and things like that other than substrates and plates using single-crystal sapphire, processing costs tend to be very high because very hard material must be machined from cylindrical single-crystal ingots.
We propose N-9000NS high-strength translucent ceramics as a less expensive alternative material to single crystal sapphire.
Substituting N-9000NS high-strength translucent alumina ceramics, which have strength equivalent or superior to that of single crystal sapphire and can be manufactured from powder using a variety of molding methods, can achieve significant cost reductions.
Comparison sheet of N-9000NS and single crystal sapphire properties.
| Material | Alumina | Single Crystal Sapphire | ||
| Nishimura. NO | N-9000NS | ━ | ||
| Component (Al2O3) | >99.99% | Al2O3 99.99% | ||
| Color | Translucency | ━ | ||
| Bulk density | g/cm3 | 3.99 | ━ | |
| Water absorption | ％ | 0 | ━ | |
| Total Light Transmittance(JIS K7105) | ％ | 83.66% or more | Equal or superior | |
| Crystal structure | Polycrystal | Single Crystal | ||
|
Mechanical |
Vickers hardness | GPa | 21.4 | Equal |
| Bending strength | MPa | 820 | A little inferior | |
| Compressive strength | MPa | 5800 | Inferior | |
| Tensile strength | MPa | 213 | Inferior | |
| Impact bending strength | MPa | 0.7 | ━ | |
| Electrical Properties |
Volume resistivity | Ω･cm | 2.0×1016（20～100℃） | Equal |
| Dielectric contabt (1MHz) | 10 | ━ | ||
|
Dielectric loss tangent (1MHz) |
＜0.001 | Equal | ||
| Dielectric strength | kV/mm | ＞10 | ━ | |
| Te value | ℃ | 1000 | ━ | |
| Thermal Properties |
Thermal expansion coefficient | 10-6/℃ | 8.2 | ━ |
| Heat thermal conductivity | W/m･K | 37 | ━ | |
| Max. operation temperature | ℃ | 1200 | ━ | |
| Thermal shock resistance | ℃ | 200 | ━ | |
N-9000NS Crystal Photo
Why can it be manufactured at low cost?
| N-9000NS | Single Crystal Sapphire |
| Can be processed in a soft state before sinter. |
Can only be machined from ingots. |
| Injection molding is possible. | |
| Press molding is possible. |
Applications and markets
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As parts for semiconductor manufacturing equipment: rings, plates, rods, tubes
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As parts for medical manufacturing equipment
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As a replacement for chemical-resistant sapphire parts
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As a replacement for quartz parts
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As a replacement for sapphire balls