Press Release
Hochdorf, Germany, April 2017
New High Performance Ceramic Material: Machinable by EDM-Technologies and
Wear Resistant
(Hall 6 / Stand B16)
ZT40 is a new ceramic material with electrical conductivity and therefore can be machined by EDM-technologies. Friction and wear tests have shown its excellent wear resistance when mated against metal (100Cr6).
The material composition is based on a matrix of tetragonal stabilized zirconia. Therein dispersed are submicron particles based of titanium nitride as electrically conductive component. Additional ingredients guarantee a very good connection between zirconia and titanium nitride. Its Young’s modulus with 240 GPa is slightly higher than in steel. Its mechanical strength is 600 MPa. In its thermal expansion behavior with 10,4×10-6/K it is comparable to steel and thermal conductivity is 7,46 W/mK.
Vickers hardness HV10 has been measured with 1400. Therefore it is expected that this new material is quite wear resistant when mated against steel 100Cr6. Friction and wear tests with as EDM-machined and polished ZT40-samples have shown a coefficient of wear of 1,2. No wear was found on the surface of the ceramic material, but the 100Cr6-ball showed significant wear. The optical observation was investigated in detail by SEM analysis, which confirmed that the ceramic material doesn’t show any wear and some metallic traced could be found on the surface of the ceramic material.
This new ceramic material, which can be tailored by EDM at each mold-making company, shows excellent behavior when used as injection channel for injection molding fiber reinforced plastics. Other applications are macroscopic and microscopic gear-wheels, i. e. in watch and micro-pump industry. Due to its biocompatibility ZT40 is a suitable ceramic material for being used also in medical instruments.
ZT40 is already the second generation of EDM-machinable ceramics developed in OxiMaTec. The first generation material however requires special equipment for machining. It can only be EDM-machined in oil-bath machines. Opposite to this older material, ZT40 can be machined also in water-based machines. Therefore it is qualified for broad applications in mold-making shops.
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Figure caption
(Oximatec_1_2017-4.tif)
Microstructure of the new EDM-machinable ceramics ZT40 from OxiMaTec
(Oximatec_2_2017-4.tif)
Results of tribological investigations with steel: the metal ball is weared and shows a flat surface. Testing parameters: FN = 15±0,8 N; v = 10 mm/sec; T = 23 °C; humidity 25 %; s = 120 m; s’ = 15 mm
(Oximatec_3_2017-4.tif)
SEM-investigations on the surface of ZT40 after wear-tests: no damaged surface
Press contact
OxiMaTec GmbH, Dr Wolfgang Burger,
CERAMIC APPLICATIONS, Karin Scharrer,
Hannover Messe, Hall 6, Stand B16