Aluminium (Al) is the second-most industrially consumed metal worldwide. The global aluminium market produces over 50-million tons of aluminium each year, chiefly through the refinement of bauxite ore at sites in North America, Russia, China, and more. At these sites, industrially viable alumina (Al2O3) is refined from bauxite through the Bayer process, which involves crushing and heating the metal in a pressure vessel with a sodium hydroxide solution at temperatures of up to 200°C. The extracted alumina is then smelted at refractory temperatures of up to 980°C in molten cryolite (Na3AlF6), to produce pure aluminium for use in an enormous range of commercial and industrial sectors.
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Finance Manager Appointment
International Syalons are pleased to announce the appointment of Gillian Bradley as Finance Manager, effective from 1st March 2018.
Gillian is a long-standing and valued member of the International Syalons administrative team, having been responsible for the accounts and payroll for over 14 years, as well as being a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (MAAT).
The Board have every confidence in Gillian as the latest key member of our management team and expects her addition to further the ongoing success of the business.
Introduction to SiAlON Ceramics
SiAlON ceramics are innovative refractory materials based on the chemical composition of silicon nitride (Si3N4). They can compete with the strongest and most durable refractory materials currently available, due to their unique mechanical and thermal properties, with wide-reaching applications in metallurgical, petrochemical, and other high-temperature industries.
SiAlONs were designed to have crystal lattice structures which are isostructural with silicon oxynitride, but with broader cell dimensions, to allow for a denser refractory ceramic product. They are compounded from atoms of silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), oxygen (O), and nitrogen (N), which display short, high-strength intra-structural covalent bonds after sintering, creating a rigid atomic structure with high strength and high thermal efficiency.
International Syalons manufactures a range of SiAlON ceramics which utilize both beta (β) and alpha (α) SiAlON crystalline phases. Each of these phases has different physical properties and production requirements, with varying industrial applications. This article will explore these ceramics in more detail:
Advanced Ceramic Materials from International Syalons Brand-New Website
International Syalons Newcastle Ltd. (ISN) are pleased to introduce our brand-new website, with a streamlined user-interface and improved usability across the board. Find standard and bespoke advanced ceramic materials suitable for your unique industry needs, from ISN.
Management Changes at ISN
Effective from 30th April 2017 Nick Fecitt is resigning his position as Technical Director at ISN. We are extremely grateful for Nick’s contributions to the company and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.
Nick will be replaced by Ben Melrose as Technical Manager. Ben is a material science graduate who has worked closely with Nick as his assistant for the past four years. Ben is now well experienced in the processing and properties of nitride and oxide ceramics and has been a key driver in pursuing our ambitious research projects including E.U. funded partnerships. We are fortunate that through our policy of succession planning we have someone who can step into the role vacated by Nick’s resignation.
In addition, Mick Bell has been promoted to the position of Operations Manager, again as part of our succession planning. The Board have every confidence in Mick and Ben as key members of our management team and expect to improve still further our commitment to innovation, quality and performance.