Materials/Ceramics/Collections
Technical ceramics
technical-ceramicsAbout technical ceramics
Technical ceramics (alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride): strength, stiffness and temperature data with sources.
Technical ceramics are hard, stiff and heat resistant, and they fail by brittle fracture. Strength is usually reported as bend (flexural) strength, and it depends on the grade and how the part was made.
At a glance
- Highest density: Tantalum carbide (TaC) reaches 15 g/cm³. Lowest: RCF starts at 0.064 g/cm³. (46 of 51 grades have a sourced value.)
- Highest young's modulus: Titanium diboride (TiB2) reaches 565 GPa. Lowest: Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) starts at 47 GPa. (22 of 51 grades have a sourced value.)
- Highest flexural strength: YSZ reaches 1,240 MPa. Lowest: Pyrophyllite starts at 4 MPa. (20 of 51 grades have a sourced value.)
Ranges run across the conditions each source reports (temper, heat treatment, form), measured at room temperature where the source says so.
Types
- Carbides, nitrides and borides: 23 grades. Hard ceramic carbides, nitrides and borides (silicon carbide, boron carbide, silicon nitride, titanium nitride, zirconium diboride and more): hardness, melting point and stiffness with sources.
- Oxide ceramics: 27 grades. Oxide ceramics (alumina, zirconia, beryllia, magnesia, titanates, oxide fibres): density, melting point, thermal and mechanical data with sources.
How they compare
The same measurements for every material in the collection. A range means the grade has values under several conditions; "at least" means the source gives a specified minimum. "no data" means no sourced value yet. For ranked tables, open a benchmark.
| Material | Density | Young's modulus | Flexural strength | Thermal conductivity | Service temperature | Melting point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alumina (Al2O3)structural/insulating ceramic | 3.72 to 3.9 g/cm³ | 370 GPa | 379 MPa | 30 W/(m·K) | 1,750 °C | 2,030 to 2,072 °C |
| Silicon carbide (SiC)structural ceramic and power semiconductor (4H polytype) | 3 to 3.17 g/cm³ | 370 to 421 GPa | 346 to 480 MPa | 140 to 490 W/(m·K) | no data | no data |
| Silicon nitride (Si3N4)structural ceramic | 2.53 to 3.37 g/cm³ | 180 to 320 GPa | 670 to 900 MPa | 24 to 29 W/(m·K) | 1,200 to 1,400 °C | no data |
| YSZstructural ceramic | 6.02 to 6.07 g/cm³ | 195 to 210 GPa | 1,000 to 1,240 MPa | 2.2 to 3 W/(m·K) | 800 to 1,500 °C | no data |
| Aluminium nitride (AlN)electrically insulating heat-spreading ceramic | 3.25 to 3.3 g/cm³ | 276 to 330 GPa | 300 to 375 MPa | 140 to 180 W/(m·K) | no data | no data |
| Aluminium carbide (Al4C3)interfacial carbide in aluminium-carbon and aluminium-SiC composites; thermochemical reference compound | 2.36 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 2,100 °C |
| Barium titanate (BaTiO3)ferroelectric, piezoelectric and high-permittivity perovskite ceramic | 6.06 g/cm³ | no data | no data | 6 W/(m·K) | no data | 1,618 to 1,625 °C |
| Beryllium oxide (BeO)electrically insulating, high-thermal-conductivity ceramic (beryllia) | 3.01 g/cm³ | no data | 221 MPa | 285 W/(m·K) | no data | 2,578 °C |
| Boron carbide (B4C)extremely hard ceramic for armor, wear parts and neutron shielding | 2.5 gm/cm3 | 440 GPa | 320 to 450 MPa | 45 to 100 W/(m·K) | no data | no data |
| Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)electrical insulator and thermal ceramic | 2 to 2.1 g/cm³ | 47 to 80 GPa | 39.7 to 94 MPa | 30 to 600 W/(m·K) | 850 to 1,200 °C | no data |
| Calcium titanate (CaTiO3)perovskite oxide ceramic for microwave dielectrics and nuclear wasteforms | 3.86 to 4.1 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,975 °C |
| RCFlightweight high-temperature insulation blanket and board | 0.064 to 0.45 g/cm³ | no data | no data | 0.08 W/(m·K) | 1,100 to 1,315 °C | 1,760 °C |
| Cerium(IV) oxide (CeO2)oxygen-storage oxide, UV-absorbing dopant and radiation-resistant cover-glass additive | 7.65 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 2,600 °C |
| Chromium diboride (CrB2)hexagonal metal boride ceramic; related hard coating chromium carbide (Cr3C2) included | 5.15 to 6.68 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,850 to 1,980 °C |
| Chromium nitride (CrN)hard, silver-grey nitride coating for tools, sliding parts and piston rings | 5.9 g/cm³ | 200 GPa | no data | no data | 300 to 700 °C | 1,500 °C |
| Cobalt oxidecobalt oxides used as battery cathode and anode precursors, catalysts, ceramic pigments and solar-selective paints | 5.7 to 6.7 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,830 °C |
| Copper oxides (CuO, Cu2O)p-type oxides for solar absorbers and photovoltaic layers, and the copper source in high-temperature superconductor synthesis | 6 - | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,326 °C |
| Hafnium carbide (HfC)very high melting point ultra-high-temperature ceramic (carbide), a candidate for hypersonic leading edges and high-temperature coatings | 12.2 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 3,887 to 3,982 °C |
| Hafnium oxide (HfO2)high-k gate dielectric and thermal barrier coating oxide | 9.68 g/cm³ | no data | no data | 1.5 W/(m·K) | no data | 2,758 to 2,900 °C |
| Iron oxidemagnetic and pigment oxides (hematite, magnetite, ferrite magnets and cores) | 4.7 to 5.24 g/cm³ | 120 to 180 GPa | no data | 5 to 10 W/(m·K) | 250 °C | no data |
| Lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6)low work function boride used as a thermionic (hot) electron emitter | 4.72 g/cm³ | no data | 200 MPa | 47 W/(m·K) | no data | 2,255 °C |
| LSMperovskite oxide cathode for solid oxide fuel cells and colossal-magnetoresistance manganite | 2 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Lead zirconate titanate (PZT)piezoelectric ceramic (lead zirconate titanate solid solution, Pb(Zr,Ti)O3) | 7.8 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Macor (MGC)machinable insulator | 2.52 g/cm³ | 66.9 GPa | 89 to 94 MPa | 1.46 W/(m·K) | 800 to 1,000 °C | no data |
| MgOrefractory and electrical-insulating ceramic (magnesia) | 3.58 to 3.6 g/cm³ | 249 GPa | 7 to 103 MPa | 42 W/(m·K) | no data | 2,800 °C |
| MAX phase ceramicslayered machinable ceramic-metal hybrid for furnace heating elements, sliding parts and machinable high-temperature parts | 4.47 g/cm³ | 265 GPa | no data | 43 W/(m·K) | 1,100 to 1,200 °C | 1,390 °C |
| Metal borides (TM borides)family of hard transition-metal borides: ZrB2, HfB2, NbB2, TaB2, WB, Co2B/CoB and the FeB/Fe2B boride layers on steel | 5.56 to 12.6 g/cm³ | 248 to 489 GPa | no data | 16 to 60 W/(m·K) | no data | 3,037 to 3,245 °C |
| Molybdenum carbide (Mo2C)hard refractory carbide for wear parts and tool materials, and a noble-metal-free electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution | 9.18 to 9.2 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 2,687 to 2,690 °C |
| Molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2)high-temperature electric heating element material (dense silicide cermet, sold as Kanthal Super) | 5.6 to 6.5 g/cm³ | 407 GPa | 450 MPa | 15 to 30 W/(m·K) | 1,700 to 1,850 °C | no data |
| Nickel oxide (NiO)p-type oxide for transparent layers, solid oxide fuel cell anodes and oxide scales on nickel; carcinogen | 6.67 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,984 °C |
| Niobium carbide (NbC)hard refractory carbide for grain control in cemented carbide, wear coatings and carbide ceramics | 7.82 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 3,500 to 3,608 °C |
| Niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5)high-rate lithium-ion anode oxide, with tantalum pentoxide as the dielectric and optical-film counterpart | 4.6 to 8.2 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,500 to 1,872 °C |
| Pyrophyllitemachinable ceramic blank and high-pressure gasket mineral | 2.3 g/cm³ | no data | 4 to 400 MPa | no data | no data | no data |
| Ln2O3dense, high-melting trivalent oxide ceramics for optics and laser hosts | 3.86 to 9.5 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 2,233 to 2,510 °C |
| Shapal (AlN-BN)machinable insulating ceramic that conducts heat | 2.88 to 2.95 g/cm³ | 176 to 186 GPa | 294 to 300 MPa | 90 to 92 W/(m·K) | 1,000 to 1,900 °C | no data |
| Silicon monoxide (SiO)evaporation source for thin oxide films and lithium-ion anode material | 2.13 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,702 °C |
| Steatite (MgO-SiO2)electrical insulator ceramic | 2.5 to 3.1 g/cm³ | 120 GPa | 190 to 220 MPa | 2 W/(m·K) | 200 to 930 °C | no data |
| Tantalum carbide (TaC)ultra-high-temperature ceramic (carbide), a candidate for hypersonic flight structures and a hard coating for hot tools | 13.9 to 15 g/cm³ | no data | 96 to 291 MPa | 22 W/(m·K) | no data | 3,880 °C |
| SnO2, ITOtransparent conductor and gas-sensing oxide | 6.8 to 7.13 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,630 °C |
| Titanium carbide (TiC)hard refractory carbide for cermet cutting tools, wear coatings and bearing surfaces | 4.93 g/cm³ | 444 GPa | no data | no data | no data | 3,017 to 3,160 °C |
| Titanium diboride (TiB2)hard, electrically conductive ultra-high-temperature ceramic (boride) | 4.5 g/cm³ | 500 to 565 GPa | 400 to 1,000 MPa | 60 to 120 W/(m·K) | no data | 3,225 °C |
| Titanium dioxide (TiO2)white pigment and photocatalyst (anatase and rutile polymorphs) | 3.8 to 4 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | 277 °C | 1,850 °C |
| Titanium nitride (TiN)hard, golden-coloured ceramic coating and bulk ceramic (nitride) | no data | 500 GPa | no data | 7.01 to 27 W/(m·K) | no data | at least 2,900 °C |
| MSi2microelectronics contact silicides and oxidation-resistant silicide coatings (WSi2, TiSi2, TaSi2, CrSi2, NbSi2, FeSi2) | 4.13 to 9.3 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,490 to 2,200 °C |
| Tungsten trioxide (WO3)electrochromic and gas-sensing oxide | 7.16 to 7.2 g/cm³ | no data | no data | no data | no data | 1,472 °C |
| Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5)catalyst, flow-battery feedstock and infrared-sensor film material | 3.4 - | no data | no data | no data | no data | 681 to 690 °C |
| Yttrium oxide (Y2O3)transparent and plasma-resistant oxide ceramic | 4.84 to 5.01 g/cm³ | 160 to 188 GPa | 100 to 430 MPa | 10 to 14.5 W/(m·K) | 2,000 to 2,200 °C | 2,410 °C |
| Zinc oxide (ZnO)wide-bandgap oxide for thermal-control coatings, varistors and transparent conductors | 5.67 g/cm³ | no data | no data | 50 W/(m·K) | no data | 1,975 °C |
| Magnesia-stabilised zirconiastructural ceramic | 4 to 5.74 g/cm³ | 200 to 360 GPa | 450 to 1,040 MPa | 2.2 to 27 W/(m·K) | 500 to 1,500 °C | no data |
| Zirconium carbide (ZrC)very high melting point ultra-high-temperature ceramic (carbide), a candidate for hypersonic leading edges and nuclear thermal propulsion coatings | 6.73 g/cm³ | 435 to 464 GPa | 407 to 460 MPa | 17.5 to 40 W/(m·K) | no data | 3,532 °C |
| Zirconium nitride (ZrN)hard, yellow nitride ceramic used as a protective and diffusion-barrier coating | 7,090 kg m-3 | no data | no data | no data | no data | 2,960 °C |
What these materials are made of
Composition by weight, as printed in the sources for each grade (the first constituents listed).
| Material | Main constituents |
|---|---|
| Alumina (Al2O3) | Al 52.9% · O 47.1% |
| Silicon nitride (Si3N4) | Si3N4 85 to 92% · RE2O3/Al2O3 sintering-aid blend 8 to 15% |
| Beryllium oxide (BeO) | Be 36.0% · O 64.0% |
| Chromium diboride (CrB2) | Cr 70.6% · B 29.4% |
| Cobalt oxide | Co 78.6% · O 21.4% |
| Iron oxide | Fe 69.9% · O 30.1% |
| Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) | Pb 63.6% · Zr 14.6% · Ti 7.1% · O 14.7% |
| Macor (MGC) | SiO2 46% · MgO 17% · Al2O3 16% · K2O 10% · B2O3 7% · F 4% |
| MgO | Mg 60.3% · O 39.7% |
| Molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) | Mo 94.1% · C 5.9% |
| Molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) | Mo 63.1% · Si 36.9% |
| Niobium carbide (NbC) | Nb 88.6% · C 11.4% |
| Niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) | Nb 69.9% · O 30.1% |
| Pyrophyllite | Al 15.0% · Si 31.2% · O 53.3% · H 0.6% |
| Shapal (AlN-BN) | AlN 71 to 74% · BN 26% |
| SnO2, ITO | In2O3 90% · SnO2 10% |
| MSi2 | Si 8.4% · W 27.5% · Ti 7.1% · Ta 27.0% · Cr 7.8% · Nb 13.9% · Fe 8.3% |
Where they are used
| Use | Grades |
|---|---|
| Semiconductor process chambers, wafer handling, laser devices and power tubes (ground industrial use) | Alumina (Al2O3) |
| Heat, corrosion and wear resistant parts (ground industrial use) | Alumina (Al2O3) |
| Sheath insulator layers for a thermionic space power system (ground reactor test, not flown) | Alumina (Al2O3) |
| Lightweight CVD silicon carbide mirrors for LIDAR and space telescopes | Silicon carbide (SiC) |
| Sintered and reaction-bonded SiC wear and high-temperature parts | Silicon carbide (SiC) |
| SiC Schottky barrier diodes (power semiconductor) | Silicon carbide (SiC) |
| Rolling elements in cryogenic turbopump bearings | Silicon nitride (Si3N4) |
| Aerospace propulsion and control components | Silicon nitride (Si3N4) |
| High-temperature bearings | Silicon nitride (Si3N4) |
| Blades and cutting edges (wear parts) | YSZ |
| Pump and valve components, gas and oil field parts, solids handling | YSZ |
| Substrates for electronic packages, IC packages and power transistor bases | Aluminium nitride (AlN) |
| Heat sinks | Aluminium nitride (AlN), Shapal (AlN-BN) |
| Semiconductor heater plates and chucks | Aluminium nitride (AlN) |
| Dielectric in multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) | Barium titanate (BaTiO3) |
| Lead-free piezoelectric ceramic element | Barium titanate (BaTiO3) |
When each grade fits
| Material | Best for | Weakest at |
|---|---|---|
| Alumina (Al2O3) | Hard, stiff, electrically insulating parts that must stay stable at high temperature (CoorsTek chart: AD-995 volume resistivity above 10^14 ohm-cm at 25 °C) | Brittle fracture and sudden temperature change (fracture toughness 4 to 5 MPa·m½ for AD-995; thermal shock temperature difference of 200 °C for Kyocera's 99% grade) |
| Silicon carbide (SiC) | Hard, stiff ceramic parts and high-voltage semiconductor devices where a wide band gap and high breakdown field matter (Toshiba's 4H-SiC table versus silicon) | Brittleness as a ceramic: flexural strength of 346 MPa and fracture toughness near 2.8 MPa·m½ for sintered material, and a Weibull modulus of 11.0 (NIST) |
| Silicon nitride (Si3N4) | Structural parts and bearing elements where low mass, wear resistance, high temperature capability, or thermal shock resistance matter. | Grade-sensitive performance and brittle contact damage; select a process and grade, and use its own design data. |
| YSZ | Strong, tough wear parts and cutting edges that stay cool and dry (CoorsTek sintered YTZP: 1240 MPa and 13 MPa√m) | Hot water or steam: about 12% strength loss after hydrothermal ageing in a cited study; thermal shock limits of 200 to 350 °C |
| Aluminium nitride (AlN) | Electronic substrates, packages and heat spreaders where heat must leave a part without conducting electricity. | Water and humid storage: it hydrolyzes slowly, and the sources print no moisture limit. Thermal values also differ by grade. |
| Aluminium carbide (Al4C3) | Thermochemical reference data for the carbide that forms at aluminium-carbon and aluminium-SiC interfaces, and for judging how much of it a composite can tolerate | Water and moist air: it releases flammable methane and heat (CAMEO, Wikipedia). Its melting point is not settled, since Wikipedia gives 2100 C as the melting point and 1400 C as the decomposition temperature |
| Barium titanate (BaTiO3) | Capacitor dielectrics and lead-free piezoelectric ceramics where operation stays well below the Curie point of about 125 to 132 °C | Temperature range: the ferroelectric response is lost above about 125 to 132 °C, and a reactively sintered ceramic reached only about 85% relative density in the 2015 study |
| Beryllium oxide (BeO) | Heat spreaders and packages that must move a lot of heat while staying electrically insulating, where the beryllium dust hazard can be controlled | Health: beryllium dust, fume and mist are toxic and carcinogenic by inhalation. Mechanical strength is lower than alumina according to the American Beryllia page |
| Boron carbide (B4C) | Hard, wear-resistant parts such as blast nozzles and armor tiles, and neutron shielding where boron content matters (Saint-Gobain datasheet; NASA 2023 composite study) | Brittleness: flexural strength of 425 MPa and fracture toughness of 3.1 MPa x m1/2 (Saint-Gobain), and loss of quality and hardness in hot air with traces of nitrogen (Varadachari et al. 2018) |
| Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) | Electrical insulation and microwave or high-temperature insulating parts, where the 88 kV/mm dielectric strength and the 850 °C air limit of Grade A matter | Strength across or at high temperature: HP bending strength parallel to pressing falls from 39.7 MPa at 25 °C to 9.8 MPa at 600 °C, and oxidation in ambient air begins near 900 °C |
| Calcium titanate (CaTiO3) | Microwave dielectric resonator ceramics, usually in composites with a material that offsets its large temperature coefficient | Large positive temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (796.69 ppm/°C in the 2022 sintered ceramic), and preferential leaching of the perovskite phase in strong acid |
| RCF | Furnace, kiln and boiler linings that need a light, low-conductivity blanket up to about 1180 °C in continuous use. | Respirable fibre dust, which is classified as a carcinogen by inhalation, and crystallisation to cristobalite after heating above about 1300 °C, which embrittles the fibre. |
| Cerium(IV) oxide (CeO2) | Radiation-resistant and UV-absorbing cover glass (NASA reports on 1.5 percent ceria-doped Micro-Sheet; SCHOTT describes a cerium-doped cover glass) | Hazard classification in the NITE entry (H371 and H372, lung effects from repeated exposure, signal word Danger), and no space-flight record for pure CeO2 |
| Chromium diboride (CrB2) | Silicon-alloyed CrB2 films that must resist oxidation at 1100 to 1200 degC in air (laboratory films only; the paper gives an oxide scale of about 400 nm) | Few measured bulk properties (most CrB2 values here are calculated or from a powder safety data sheet) and conflicting hazard classifications for CrB2 between PubChem and the supplier |
| Chromium nitride (CrN) | Hard, wear-resistant PVD coatings on sliding parts, piston rings and cutting or forming tools, where service stays below about 700 °C in air | Oxidation in air from about 700 °C, and micro-cracking or peeling of the coating under load (patent background) |
| Cobalt oxide | Lithium-ion anode research on Co3O4, where the theoretical capacity (890 mAh/g) is more than twice that of graphite | Supply is concentrated. Congo (Kinshasa) mined an estimated 73% of world cobalt in 2025 (USGS), and cobalt is on the USGS 2025 critical-minerals list |
| Copper oxides (CuO, Cu2O) | Solar-absorbing copper oxide films and p-type oxide layers where the material is cheap and the dark or light colour of the film is acceptable | Heat and oxygen. Cu2O turns into CuO above about 250 °C in air or oxygen, which changes its band gap from 2.17 eV to 1.35 eV, and CuO dissolves in dilute acids. |
| Hafnium carbide (HfC) | Very high melting point ceramic parts and coatings where a protective layer keeps air away from the surface, such as hypersonic leading edges and nozzle liners | Oxidation in air from 400 to 500 degC (Gaydaychuk et al. 2022), and low toughness, with no measured fracture toughness for HfC found in this run |
| Hafnium oxide (HfO2) | High-k dielectric films for transistors (dielectric constant 22 to 25 in a review table) and high-melting thermal barrier coatings for hot parts | Bulk mechanical data were not found in a source opened for this profile, and the space record is a ground simulation that cut the laser damage threshold by up to 46.80% for debris impact |
| Iron oxide | Cheap, corrosion-resistant magnets and power-transformer cores, and colour-stable pigments | Magnetic strength per volume, which is lower than NdFeB or SmCo magnets, and brittleness of sintered ferrite parts |
| Lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) | Hot electron sources in electron beam instruments and Hall thruster hollow cathodes, where a low work function matters more than oxidation resistance in air | Oxidation in air from 500 degC, and oxygen poisoning of the emitter in oxygen-rich plasma |
| LSM | Solid oxide fuel cell cathode work, where Wikipedia says the thermal expansion is well matched to yttria-stabilized zirconia | The sources read here give no measured electrical conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient or melting point. The Curie range is a Wikipedia figure, not a single measurement. |
| Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) | Transducers and actuators that need a large piezoelectric response well below the Curie point, where lead content is acceptable | Lead content: the supplier SDS classes the powder as a reproductive toxicant, and PI limits operation to 50 % of the Curie temperature |
| Macor (MGC) | Machined insulators and fixtures that must hold tight tolerances, stay stable to 800 °C and not outgas in vacuum | Strength and toughness: 94 MPa modulus of rupture and 1.53 MPa m0.5 fracture toughness, against 345 MPa compressive strength |
| MgO | Electrically insulating, heat-conducting filler and sheath for heaters and mineral-insulated cable, from the Morgan Luminex 998 grade (crushable, bulk density 2.20 to 2.49 g/cm3) | Strength and moisture: the crushable grades have a flexural strength of 7 to 71 MPa (Luminex 998, 3-point), and the powder is hygroscopic and reacts with strong acids (ICSC 0504) |
| MAX phase ceramics | Electric heating elements that run hot in vacuum or inert gas, and machinable bulk parts (patent US6903313B2; Barsoum and El-Raghy 1997) | Oxidation in air above about 1100 to 1200 degC (patent), and decomposition into TiC above about 1400 degC in vacuum (Pang et al. 2009) |
| Metal borides (TM borides) | Hard, high-melting diboride parts and coatings where ZrB2 or TaB2 is needed, and boride layers that give steel a hard, wear-resistant surface (Fe2B) | Brittleness and few measured bulk values for most borides (only ZrB2, TaB2 and NbB2 have sourced bulk values here, and FeB fractures easily under load) |
| Molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) | Hard, high-melting carbide powder for wear parts and tool materials (vendor claims), and noble-metal-free hydrogen-evolution electrocatalysis in both acid and alkaline water (Hussain et al. 2019) | Hardness, thermal conductivity and expansion of pure Mo2C are not sourced in this file. The powder oxidises in steam or CO2 from about 600 °C, and it is a dust-forming powder that the SDS says to keep from dispersing |
| Molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) | Electric heating elements in air furnaces for heat treatment, forging, sintering and glass melting, at element temperatures up to about 1700 to 1850 degC | Brittleness below about 1200 degC (Kanthal), and low-temperature oxidation near 500 degC that forms yellowish MoO3 powder |
| Nickel oxide (NiO) | p-type transparent conducting films and nickel-based solid oxide fuel cell anode work, under strict dust and inhalation controls | Low conductivity in sputtered films (7.2 to 9.09 S/cm) and a carcinogen hazard (H350, with IARC Group 1 for nickel compounds) |
| Niobium carbide (NbC) | Controlling grain growth in WC-10Co cemented carbide cutting and wear tools (Megret et al., 2025), and wear coatings reinforced with NbC particles (Gunen et al., 2024) | One supplier classes the powder as a flammable solid, and the oxidation of NbC in air is not sourced here. Hardness, elastic modulus and thermal conductivity of pure NbC are not sourced in this file, and the two melting points disagree. |
| Niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) | Fast-charging lithium-ion anodes where high rate matters more than energy per gram (modified T-Nb2O5), and UV-stable oxide optical films (Ta2O5) | Low electronic conductivity in pristine T-Nb2O5, which the anode paper says needed doping and coating; the powder is an irritant and no corrosion rate is given in the supplier SDS |
| Pyrophyllite | Blanks that must be cut to shape before firing, and pressure gaskets in high-pressure laboratory presses | Dust from machining (commercial grades can contain respirable crystalline silica) and batch-to-batch variation in a natural mineral |
| Ln2O3 | Dense, high-melting oxide ceramics for optical and laser research; lutetia has the highest melting point and density in the sourced data (Tohoku paper, 2510 °C and 9.5 g/cm3) | Sourced data are thin for most members. Each oxide has about one PubChem density and melting value, several have no crystal-structure or thermal-conductivity figure, and no plasma or space record was read. |
| Shapal (AlN-BN) | Machined ceramic parts that must conduct heat, insulate electrically and stay dimensionally stable: heat sinks, insulating plates and vacuum fixtures | Brittleness and spread between sheets: thermal conductivity is printed as 90 to 100 W/mK at room temperature and density as 2.88 to 2.95 g/cm3, and the sources give no Weibull modulus |
| Silicon monoxide (SiO) | Thin SiO films for optical coatings, and a high-capacity lithium-ion anode where cycle life can be traded (the review describes the capacity; cycle life is the open problem) | Volume change and first-cycle lithium loss in an anode (about 200% volume change, low initial Coulombic efficiency); the space test covers a SiOx coating, not bulk SiO |
| Steatite (MgO-SiO2) | Low-cost electrical insulators and heater supports that must not burn and must hold their shape to about 930 °C (Farnell glazed standoff rating) | Shear and torsion loads, and sudden changes in temperature; steatite is weak in shear, as are glass-type materials (RIKO and Farnell sheet) |
| Tantalum carbide (TaC) | Very hard, very high melting point ceramic parts and coatings where a protective layer handles oxidation, such as coatings for steel moulds and a candidate for hypersonic structures | Oxidation in air from about 700 degC for coatings (CVD specification), and a flammable powder (H228 in the supplier SDS) |
| SnO2, ITO | Transparent conductive ITO films for displays and thin-film solar cells, and SnO2 as the active layer in gas sensors | Indium supply for ITO: China produced 70% of world indium, and USGS reports new Chinese export restrictions on indium from February 2025 |
| Titanium carbide (TiC) | Hard wear coatings and bearing surfaces (NASA records of 1980 and 1988), and cermet cutting tools with a carbide or carbonitride hard phase (Kennametal patent) | Oxidation in air above about 225 °C, and a flammable, dust-explosive powder (NextSDS H228; ICSC 1319). Hardness, thermal conductivity and thermal expansion of monolithic TiC are not sourced in this file |
| Titanium diboride (TiB2) | Hard, stiff, electrically conductive ceramic parts and wear surfaces, such as cathodes and cutting tools, where a melting point near 3225 degC matters more than oxidation resistance | Oxidation in air at high temperature (the review calls resistance inadequate, and B2O3 volatilises as the temperature rises, per Ozkan et al.) and brittleness (Weibull modulus of 11, NIST) |
| Titanium dioxide (TiO2) | White, stable thermal-control coatings that keep their emittance in vacuum up to 550 K (NASA Lewis test of a TiO2 paint and tape) | Suspected carcinogen when inhaled as powder (H351, IARC Group 2B), and its photocatalysis needs ultraviolet light, which current reactors make with mercury lamps |
| Titanium nitride (TiN) | Hard, wear-resistant thin coatings on tools and sliding parts, and other uses where a melting point above 2900 degC and metal-like conduction both matter | Oxidation in air above about 600 degC, where the surface converts to rutile titanium dioxide (AVS 2004), and friction rise after long exposure outside a spacecraft (JAXA, ISS exposure) |
| MSi2 | Low-resistivity silicide contacts in microelectronics (TiSi2 C54, WSi2) and high-melting silicide coatings | Oxidation at intermediate temperatures for NbSi2 and CrSi2, and no flight or space data for any of the six compounds |
| Tungsten trioxide (WO3) | Electrochromic films that switch in seconds, and resistive gas sensors for NO2 and NH3 at ppb levels (laboratory results) | Cycling stability and humidity tolerance: a bare WO3 film lost about 25% of its optical transparency over cycling in one study, and the sensor review lists humidity tolerance as a limit |
| Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) | Lab-scale thermometer films for uncooled infrared sensors, and as a vanadium source for flow batteries and catalysts | Toxicity. Fatal if inhaled (H330) and toxic if swallowed (H301) in the aggregated EU classification, with an occupational limit of 0.05 mg/m3 as V |
| Yttrium oxide (Y2O3) | Plasma-resistant and infrared-transparent ceramic parts (Konoshima lists viewing windows and plasma-resistant use; CoorsTek describes exceptional plasma resistance) | Brittle fracture (fracture toughness 2.5 MPa·m½ in Konoshima's data) and air sensitivity of the powder (the supplier SDS calls it hygroscopic) |
| Zinc oxide (ZnO) | Low-absorptance white thermal-control coating on spacecraft, where flight data show little change in solar absorptance over years when contamination is kept low | Silicone contamination, which raised the solar absorptance of a Z-93P coating from 0.16 to 0.23 in one flight test (POSA-I) |
| Magnesia-stabilised zirconia | Thermal-cycling tools and rollers (Morgan TS grade: 650 MPa, 15 MPa√m and 500 thermal shock) and light alumina-based substrates (ZTA) | Unstabilised zirconia cracks on cooling through 1170 °C; ATZ loses 9.9 to 16.2 per cent strength in hot autoclave ageing; strength falls with temperature (Morgan TS grade: 650 MPa at 20 °C, 360 MPa at 820 °C) |
| Zirconium carbide (ZrC) | Hard, stiff, high melting point ceramic parts and coatings where oxidation is handled by a protective layer, such as hypersonic leading edges and nozzle liners | Oxidation in air above about 600 degC (the review) and brittleness, with little plastic deformation before fracture |
| Zirconium nitride (ZrN) | Hard protective coatings on steel for wear and corrosion tests, where a high melting point and a hard surface both matter | Oxidation in air. No readable source in this run gives an oxidation onset temperature for ZrN, so the limit in hot air is unverified |
Materials
oxide-ceramics/al2o3
Oxides • 19 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/al4c3
Carbides • 14 sourced entries • 5 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/aln
Nitrides • 43 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/batio3
Oxides • 22 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/beo
Oxides • 17 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/b4c
Carbides • 19 sourced entries • 9 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/h-bn
Nitrides • 37 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/catio3
Oxides • 15 sourced entries • 11 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/rcf
Oxides • 29 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/ceo2
Oxides • 16 sourced entries • 11 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/crb2
Ultra-high-temperature ceramics • 19 sourced entries • 12 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/crn
Nitrides • 21 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/coo-and-co3o4
Oxides • 17 sourced entries • 9 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/cuo-cu2o
Oxides • 15 sourced entries • 9 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/hfc
Carbides • 19 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/hfo2
Oxides • 18 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/fe2o3-fe3o4
Oxides • 35 sourced entries • 16 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/lab6
Ultra-high-temperature ceramics • 17 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/lsm
Oxides • 5 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/pzt
Oxides • 19 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
technical-ceramics/mgc
Glass-ceramics • 28 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/mgo
Oxides • 28 sourced entries • 11 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/max
Carbides • 18 sourced entries • 12 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/tm-borides
Ultra-high-temperature ceramics • 31 sourced entries • 19 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/mo2c
Carbides • 14 sourced entries • 11 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/mosi2
Ultra-high-temperature ceramics • 23 sourced entries • 12 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/nio
Oxides • 16 sourced entries • 12 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/nbc
Carbides • 15 sourced entries • 13 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/nb2o5
Oxides • 17 sourced entries • 11 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/al2si4o10-oh-2
Oxides • 13 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/ln2o3
Oxides • 38 sourced entries • 19 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/aln-bn
Nitrides • 32 sourced entries • 9 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/sic
Carbides • 35 sourced entries • 11 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/si3n4
Nitrides • 36 sourced entries • 9 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/sio
Oxides • 16 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/mgo-sio2
Oxides • 23 sourced entries • 11 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/tac
Carbides • 13 sourced entries • 7 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/sno2-ito
Oxides • 21 sourced entries • 11 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/tib2
Ultra-high-temperature ceramics • 30 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/tic
Carbides • 15 sourced entries • 14 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/tio2
Oxides • 14 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/tin
Nitrides • 17 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/msi2
Ultra-high-temperature ceramics • 15 sourced entries • 29 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/wo3
Oxides • 19 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/v2o5
Oxides • 17 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/y2o3
Oxides • 32 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/zno
Oxides • 23 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/mg-psz-atz-zta
Oxides • 80 sourced entries • 11 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/zrc
Carbides • 29 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
oxide-ceramics/ysz
Oxides • 30 sourced entries • 9 sources • 2026
carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics/zrn
Nitrides • 15 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026