Technical Ceramics
Advanced mineral solutions for all technical ceramics types and sectors
Imerys is the world’s leading supplier of mineral raw materials and prepared bodies for technical ceramics producers.
Our mineral solutions meet the specific requirements of technical ceramics manufacturers involved in the production of electrical porcelains, steatites, cordierites, mullites and alumina ceramics.
They are suitable for a wide range of industries, including the electrical, thermal, automotive, aerospace, military and medical sectors.
Mineral raw materials and prepared bodies for electrical porcelain insulators
We offer a full range of consistent-quality engineered mineral raw materials and prepared bodies* for the production of low to ultra-high voltage porcelain insulators for AC and DC currents. Our solutions are designed to boost your production yields and ensure the long-term in-service performance of your products.
Key features
- Very high consistency - For flawless products and higher yields
- High workability - Enabling the shaping of intricate insulator profiles and minimizing cracking and breakages
- Mechanical strength: High fired strength allowing insulators to withstand electrical and environmental stresses throughout their lifetime
- Low iron and carbon content: Low impurities minimizing bloating, black coring, or void formation during firing
- High alumina content: For high mechanical strength and thermal stability and low pyroplastic deformation
- Firing efficiency - For faster firing cycles in both oxidizing and reducing atmospheres
All our products are designed to meet current DIN EN 60672 standards governing ceramic insulating materials for electrical applications.
* Prepared bodies are only available in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.
Imerys mineral raw material range for electrical porcelain
Our ball clays are suitable for all voltage insulators, including latest generation insulators. They offer:
- Consistency
- High workability enabling the shaping of complex items
- High unfired strength minimizing breakage during shaping, handling and drying
- Low organic content minimizing the risks of bloating, black coring and void formation from burnout
- Faster firing cycles, in both oxidation and reducing atmospheres that would not be achievable with other more carbonaceous products
- Low residue limiting sieving wastes
Our kaolins are selected for their high alumina content and low pyroplastic deformation.
Main features:
- Particularly suited for large insulator pieces
- Low rate of free quartz particles
- A range of particle size distributions to allow optimized particle packing
Our feldspars are suitable for all insulators up to ultra-high voltage (UHV).
Key features:
- High in K2O, resulting in low pyroplastic deformation
- Low in Na2O, maximizing dielectric properties
- Low Fe2O3 and TiO2, improving fired color
Imerys prepared bodies for electrical porcelain and other technical ceramics
Imerys offers ceramic bodies for electrical porcelain and other technical ceramics applications, tailored to different firing temperatures and atmospheres.
Our prepared bodies for electrical porcelain contribute to allowing manufacturers to meet the relevant sections of IEC 60672 industry standards.
N.B. These prepared bodies are only available in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.
Standard prepared bodies
Our typical standard prepared bodies portfolio includes standard technical porcelains, steatites, cordierites and alumina bodies.
Engineered and produced at our European ceramic preparation plant, our prepared bodies demonstrate enhanced consistency, significantly increasing your production yields and reducing your maintenance costs.
Imerys is fully equipped for preparing your tailor-made technical ceramic bodies. Our equipment includes:
- Dry/wet mixers and grinders: alumina ball-mills, attritors, etc.
- Filter presses: normal and isostatic
- Alumina covered de-aired pug-roll machines
- Spray dryers: nozzles, bi-fluid nozzles and rotating disc
- Particle size classifiers
Other mineral raw materials for technical ceramics
In addition to ball clays, kaolins and feldspar, we also supply talcs and chamottes specifically designed for technical ceramics applications.
Imerys is the world’s leading supplier of talc for technical ceramics.
We offer a versatile range of products tailored to specific requirements, including, high purity, low Al2O3 and low CaO content, microcrystalline talcs for achieving very high dielectric properties and reduced deformation in steatites and cordierites.
For cordierites — thanks to their low magnetic content — our chamottes provide:
- low firing shrinkage
- low coefficient of thermal expansion
- improved casting properties
Contact our Ceramics team to find the right solution for your products and processes.
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