Technical ceramics possess numerous properties that make them attractive engineering solutions for challenging applications. They largely outperform industrial-grade polymers and metals for high-temperature operation, with comprehensively superior mechanical properties and thermodynamic stability. Ceramic solutions are currently utilised in industries as varied as aerospace and defence, automotive engineering, chemicals and petrochemicals manufacturing, energy generation, and molten metal handling.Continue reading→

Visit International Syalons and SILCA/Calsitherm at Hannover Messe 1–5 April 2019 at Stand L08, Hall 3, in the Ceramic Applications area.

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Advanced ceramics manufacturing comprises three essential stages: raw powder processing; forming; and sintering. This generally describes the process of consolidating a powder-based feedstock and firing the green body to achieve a fully-densified technical ceramic. Net shapes with comparatively loose dimensional tolerances (~1-3%) can typically be produced ‘as-sintered’; requiring no machining or finishing prior to quality assurance inspections. Components with tight tolerances cannot be produced ‘as-sintered’ and may require diamond grinding to ensure that the net shape is usable according to the design intent.Continue reading→

International Syalons are delighted to announce their British Ceramic Confederation (BCC) membership.

The BCC are a professional organisation who represent the collective interest of all sectors of ceramic manufacturing in Britain by working extremely hard to safeguard the industry’s prosperity and lead sector discussions and negotiations with Government and public authorities.
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Extrusion describes the process where a metal such as copper or brass is forced through an extrusion die with a smaller cross-section. This deforms the material, causing a lengthening of its granular structure and forcing it to adopt a new cross-section uniformly across the entire manufactured workpiece. It is an extremely common metal forming process used to convert cylindrical billets into hollow tubes, or more complex profiles and sections.Continue reading→

International Syalons are pleased to announce the availability of Zircalon 30 a new grade of zirconia-based advanced ceramic with greatly improved fracture toughness, which is ideal for induction welding applications.

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The 20^th Century was an era of rapid innovation in ballistics technology, and subsequently in how conflicts were conducted. Military organisations worldwide opted to improve the manouverability of troops and vehicles without compromising the performance of protective equipment in response to high velocity impacts. This led to the gradual adoption of novel ceramic materials in defence applications.Continue reading→

Grinding of industrial intermediates and various analytical samples is carried out by applying continuous abrasive force to reduce the size of particles, or to blend heterogeneous materials together. This can be carried out with hydraulic and pneumatic systems, but one of the oldest methods of grinding involves the use of milling media to repeatedly impact material and cause particles to decompose through mechanical attrition.Continue reading→

International Syalons (Newcastle) Ltd. offices will be closed from Friday 21st December until Thursday 3rd January.

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Aluminium (Al) and its alloys are susceptible to a unique form of chemical corrosion known as hydrogen-induced cracking, which is caused by gradual diffusion of hydrogen (H) molecules through the metal’s crystal lattice. This creates a localised flaw within the alloy that can significantly impair both its tensile strength and ductility, thus increasing the risk of surface fracture. While solid, the hydrogen solubility of aluminium is negligible. Molten aluminium, however, is an incredibly reactive substance that actively decomposes moisture to produce hydrogen (H).Continue reading→