Zirconium Oxide – Nano Dispersion Technology
Nano technology is a hot topic in the chemical industry, due to the improved properties they can incur on the end product.
How are Zirconium Nano technologies used?
- Drug delivery: Improved bioavailability by enhancing aqueous solubility.
- Ceramic industry: Nano sized particles offering enhanced properties in sintered ceramics.
- Catalysis: Speeds up catalytic reactions due to greater surface area.
Every year, new advances in material science have discovered ways to introduce nano dispersion technology into various applications; at Luxfer MEL Technologies, we are excited to be a part of that advancement.
Luxfer MEL Technologies Zirconium Oxide Nano Dispersions
Luxfer MEL Technologies are proud to offer Zirconium Oxide Nano Dispersion product line. MELsperse nano dispersions are an acidic, aqueous based product that contains a narrow particle size of Zirconium Oxide or yttrium stabilized Zirconium Oxide. In this post, we are going to look at the unique benefits of using our products in the ceramics industry.
MELsperse
MELsperse Nano Dispersions offer the perfect starting material to produce nano grainsized ceramic articles, which in turn, offer enhanced mechanical properties and unlocks improved translucency in finished ceramic pieces.
Through wet processing techniques, it is possible to form green bodies with excellent translucency. This is due to the 40–50 nm* particle size contained within the dispersion.
*Z-Average particle size measured via Dynamic Light Scattering on a 0.5 wt. % dispersion.
Green body: a pre-sintered body, which is in an as-formed state made up from a powder or slurry of particles, which have been consolidated.
Cost saving benefits
Utilizing a very fine particle size also offers a cost saving in energy required to sinter the ceramics. It has been demonstrated that ceramics produced from the MELsperse materials, fully sinter at temperatures as low as 1,150˚C, a significant reduction against conventional sub-micron equivalents. A true Nano microstructure is also obtainable as demonstrated by the image.
The Nano particles of Zirconium Oxide or yttrium-stabilized Zirconium Oxide are secured in the liquid medium, alleviating any concerns about inhalation of fine particles to the operative. Using an aqueous system, MELsperse dispersions avoid the use of organic solvents and the associated environmental impacts that come with them.
