ZirPro offers the most comprehensive portfolio of zirconia powders from monoclinic to yttria-stabilized. ZirPro powders exhibit a large range of particle size distribution, reactivity and chemical purity.
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Conductive Ceramics
Although ceramics typically are resistive materials, some ceramic materials — like doped-zirconia — exhibit outstanding electric conduction properties. Doped-zirconia ceramics frequently are used as electrolyte in oxygen sensors (lambda probe) or for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) applications due to their high oxygen ion conduction at elevated temperatures (>300°C). Doped-zirconium dioxide-based electrolyte also exhibits high mechanical properties, gas tightness, low electronic conduction and chemical stability in both oxidant and reductive atmospheres.
Saint-GobainZirPro supplies 5 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (CY5Z and GY5Z grades) with high chemical purity and optimized particle size and reactivity to ensure stable and consistent operations. To manufacture 5 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia, ZirPro’s monoclinic zirconia powders offer a market-leading range of particle sizes and shapes, chemical purity from 98.5% (CS grades) to 99.99% (CZ and CZE grades) and reactivity ranging from 1 m²/g to 25 m²/g.
Zirconia-based oxygen sensors
Oxygen sensors increasingly are used in automotive applications for monitoring oxygen concentration in exhaust gas to optimize internal combustion engine operation, lower fuel consumption and better control exhaust emissions. Oxygen sensors also are used in industries forprocess control, especially in processes dealing with high temperature. Specifically designed for oxygen sensor applications, CY5Z powders can be supplied without binders (CY5Z grades) for tape casting manufacturing or with binders for pressing (GY5Z-N60 grade). CY5Z powders are manufactured to the highest standards of production to guarantee continuous supply and consistent quality.
Cornerstone of solid oxide fuel cells
In SOFCs, hydrogen-rich gas electrochemically reacts with oxygen at high temperatures (700°C-900°C) to produce electricity and water. Fully-stabilized zirconia (8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia) is extensively used as the electrolyte for its excellent oxygen ion conduction as well as in electrodes for its mechanical performance at high temperature. ZirPro’s CY3Z grades are an alternative to fully stabilized zirconia for SOFC electrodes due to their excellent mechanical performance / cost balance.