Product Description
In the world of advanced engineering ceramics, silicon nitride stands out as a material of exceptional hardness and versatility. Known for its extreme hardness ranging from HV 1400-1600, silicon nitride is a top choice for applications requiring superior abrasion resistance. environments.
Silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) is renowned for its outstanding mechanical properties, which include high fracture toughness, elasticity, and extreme hardness. The hardness of a material is a measure of its ability to withstand deformation and resist wear. For silicon nitride, this hardness is typically measured using the Vickers scale, which involves pressing a diamond pyramid indenter into the material's surface. The indentation's depth is measured to determine the material's hardness value, expressed in HV (Vickers Hardness).
- High Wear Resistance: Silicon nitride's extreme hardness makes it highly resistant to wear, making it ideal for applications that involve mechanical agitation or small-particle abrasion.
- High Strength and Ductility: Despite being a ceramic, silicon nitride exhibits high strength and ductility, allowing it to withstand significant stress without cracking.
- Thermal and Chemical Stability: Silicon nitride maintains its hardness and strength at high temperatures and is chemically inert, making it suitable for use in harsh environments.
- Lightweight: At only 40% the weight of steel, silicon nitride offers a high strength-to-weight ratio, advantageous for applications where weight is a concern.
The unique properties of silicon nitride make it suitable for a wide range of industrial applications. Its ability to withstand extreme conditions has led to its use in various sectors, including:
- Engine Components: Silicon nitride is used in engine components such as cam rollers and valve balls due to its ability to withstand high temperatures and mechanical stress.
- Bearings and Seals: Its low friction and high wear resistance make it ideal for bearings and seals in high-speed applications.
- Milling Media and Nozzles: The material's hardness allows it to be used in milling media and nozzles, where it can endure the harsh conditions of material processing.
- Welding Jigs and Fixtures: Silicon nitride is used in welding jigs and fixtures due to its high temperature stability and resistance to thermal shock.
- Electrical Insulators: With excellent dielectric properties, silicon nitride is used in electrical insulators to prevent electrical discharge.
- Telemetry Tools: Its lightweight and durable nature make it suitable for use in telemetry tools and measuring wheels.
Compared to other ceramics like alumina (Al₂O₃) and zirconia (ZrO₂), silicon nitride offers superior hardness and toughness. While alumina is known for its hardness, it lacks the fracture toughness of silicon nitride, making it more prone to cracking under stress. Zirconia, on the other hand, offers good toughness but cannot match the high-temperature stability and hardness of silicon nitride.
- Design Flexibility: Silicon nitride provides a high degree of design freedom, allowing for complex shapes and close tolerances without the need for extensive machining.
- Reduced Wear and Tear: Its wear resistance extends the lifespan of components, reducing maintenance costs and downtime.
- Enhanced Performance in Extreme Environments: Silicon nitride's ability to retain its properties at high temperatures and resist chemical attack makes it ideal for extreme environments.
| Property | Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) | Steel (440C) | Zirconia (ZrO2) | Alumina (Al2O3) |
| Density (g/cm³) | 3.2 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 3.9 |
| Hardness (HV) | 1,400–1,600 | 700–900 | 1,200–1,300 | 1,500–1,800 |
| Fracture Toughness (MPa·m½) | 6–7 | 15–20 | 7–10 | 3–4 |
| Compressive Strength (GPa) | 2.5–3.5 | 2.0–2.5 | 2.0–2.3 | 2.0–3.0 |
●Description:
Silicon Nitride Ceramic Ball is the most ideal bearing ball for bearing applications, due to the excellent properties of silicon nitride ceramics, it has many irreplaceable advantages comparing to traditional steel materials, such as: high mechanical strength, low wear loss, good self-lubrication, low density, high corrosion resistance, good electrical insulation etc.
Therefore, Silicon Nitride Balls are mostly used for some harsh working conditions: high speed/super speed bearings, high precision bearings, bearings in vacuum, high/low temperature bearings.
Moreover, Silicon Nitride Ceramic Balls can also used as valve ball or measurement balls in chemical pumps/high temperature pumps/metdering pumps.
●Physical Properties:
| Chemical Composition: | Si3N4≥95% |
| Bulk Density: | 3.2±0.05g/cm3 |
| Elastic Modulus: | 350GPa |
| Hardness Vickers: | 1870HV |
| Bending Strength: | 780MPa |
| Fracture Toughness: | 7.2MPa·m1/2 |
| Thermal Expansion Coefficient: | 3.2 10-6/K |
| Thermal Conductivity: | 25W/(m·K) |
● Ball Sizes/Grade :
| Size (mm) | Φ0.8-180 |
| Grade | Vdws | SPH | Vdwl | Ra |
| G3 | 0.05-0.08 | ≤0.08 | <0.13 | 0.01 |
| G5 | 0.08-0.13 | ≤0.13 | <0.25 | 0.014 |
| G10 | 0.15-0.25 | ≤0.25 | <0.5 | 0.02 |
| G16 | 0.2-0.4 | ≤0.4 | <0.8 | <0.025 |
| G20 | 0.3-0.5 | ≤0.5 | <1 | <0.032 |
| G100 | 0.4-0.7 | 0.4-0.7 | <1.4 | <0.0105 |
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FAQ
1. What sizes and tolerances are available?
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Diameter range: 0.5mm to 50mm (custom sizes possible).
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Sphericity: As low as 0.1µm (Grade 5 for ultra-precision bearings).
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Surface finish: Ra < 0.02µm (mirror polish for low friction).
2. Are silicon nitride balls FDA-approved for medical use?
Yes! Si3N4 is biocompatible (ISO 6474-1) and used in spinal implants, dental devices, and joint replacements due to its antibacterial properties.
3. How do I choose the right Si3N4 balls for my application?
Consider:
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Load & speed requirements (dynamic/static stress).
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Temperature range (Si3N4 excels in high heat).
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Chemical exposure (resistant to most acids/alkalis).
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Electrical insulation needs (non-conductive).
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HV1400-1600 Silicon Nitride Balls Lead Ball Mill Media Abrasion Resistance Images
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