GENERAL BULLETIN - Hexoloy(r)

HEXOLOY ® SILICON CARBIDECeramic Materials For High Performance Applications

Worldwide Leaders in Ceramic TechnologyNo other company in the world hasmore expertise with silicon carbidethan Saint-Gobain Ceramics. We makemore of this remarkable material forhigh-performance components thananyone else in the world.It began in 1891 when a youngscientist, Dr. Edward Goodrich Acheson,attempted to make artificial diamonds.Instead he invented silicon carbide (SiC),the first man-made abrasive hardenough to cut glass. Acheson trademarkedhis discovery under the nameCarborundum, the name also givento the company he founded. TheCarborundum Company developedmany variations of silicon carbide overthe years, including the extremelystrong and versatile material knownas Hexoloy® sintered silicon carbide.In 1996, The Carborundum Company’sadvanced ceramic business wasacquired by Saint-Gobain along withits century-long heritage of leadingceramic technology.Today Saint-Gobain has earned areputation for providing advanced,high-tech ceramic components toworldwide markets. These marketsspan multiple industries, requiringmaterials that are resistant to extremetemperature, thermal shock, highimpact, abrasion and corrosion.

The Hexoloy ® DifferenceDesign engineers have discoveredthat traditional views of ceramicsdon't apply to Hexoloy ® silicon carbideproducts. Hexoloy productsopen new application and designpossibilities that are impracticalwith ductile metals and lesserceramic materials.Hexoloy sintered alpha siliconcarbide is produced by the pressurelesssintering of ultra-puresubmicron powder derived fromthe original Acheson process. Thispowder is mixed with non-oxidesintering aids, then formed intocomplex shapes by a variety ofmethods and consolidated bysintering at temperatures above2000°C (3632°F).The sintering process results ina single-phase, fine-grain siliconcarbide product that's very pure anduniform, with virtually no porosity.Whether submerged in corrosiveenvironments, subjected to extremewear and abrasive conditions, orexposed to temperatures of 1650°C(3000°F), Hexoloy sintered alphasilicon carbide will outperform othercommercially available ceramics ormetal alloys, including superalloys.Hexoloy silicon carbide is ideal forapplications such as nozzles, pumpand valve trim, paper and textileequipment components, ballisticarmor and more. Its unique propertiescan make a significant differencein a wide variety of high performanceapplications.It's hard.Hexoloy silicon carbide is one of thehardest high performance materialsavailable.Hardness (Knoop): 2800 kg/mm2at room temperature.It’s strong.Hexoloy silicon carbide parts exhibitextremely high strength and excellentresistance to creep and stress ruptureat temperatures up to 1650°C (3000°F).Flexural strength: (4 pt.): 55,000 psi(380 MPa).Fracture toughness: 4.20 x 103 lb/in2/√mModulus of elasticity (RT): 59 x 106 lb/in2(410 GPa).It’s light.Hexoloy silicon carbide weighs lessthan half as much as most metal alloys,40 percent as much as steel and aboutthe same as aluminum.It’s dense.Densities of fired parts are consistentlyin excess of 98 percent of the theoreticaldensity of Hexoloy silicon carbide -3.21 g/cm3.Density: 3.10 g/cm3 minimum.It’s wear resistant.The extreme hardness and smallgrain size of Hexoloy silicon carbidemake it ideal for applications whereparts are subject to high abrasionand sliding wear.Specified wear rate (pin on disc):SiC vs. SiC 1 x 10-9 mm2/kg.Coefficient of friction (pin on disc):SiC vs. SiC 0.2.It’s energy-efficient.Hexoloy silicon carbide’s maximumservice temperature of 1650ºC allowsprocesses to run hotter and cleanerresulting in energy savings and lowermaintenance and downtime costs.It resists corrosion, oxidationand erosion.The high density, low porosity andchemical inertness of Hexoloy siliconcarbide permit it to function in environmentsof hot gases and liquids, inoxidizing and corrosive atmospheres,and in strong acids and bases, even atextremely high temperatures.It resists heat.The high thermal conductivity ofHexoloy silicon carbide, combined withits low thermal expansion, producesexcellent thermal shock resistancefar better than tungsten carbide,aluminum oxide and RB silicon nitride.These properties make it a promisingcandidate for replacing ductile metalsin high temperature applications.It can be formed into complexshapes.New research allows Saint-Gobainto mass produce complex shapes byextrusion, dry pressing and isostaticpressing at room temperature.Additional features can be achievedthrough green machining of thesecomponents prior to furnacing.It requires minimum machining.The as-fired surface finish of Hexoloysilicon carbide parts is excellent. Thissurface quality, combined with tightdimensional control, yields parts thatmay require little or no additionalmachining or finish grinding, dependingon application.

Photo courtesy of Company Schwartz.ThermalFor the toughest high temperature applications, Hexoloysilicon carbide will outperform most metal, refractory andother ceramic materials. The material's low coefficient ofthermal expansion and high thermal conductivity give itexcellent thermal shock resistance, allowing it to surviverapid thermal cycling. At elevated temperatures, Hexoloysilicon carbide actually increases in strength where otherceramics and metals quickly drop off. Thermal componentsare available custom made to meet customer requirements.These include burner nozzles, thermocouple protectiontubes, immersion heater tubes, recuperation tubes, oxygensensors, test fixtures and furnace belt links. Hexoloy siliconcarbide is also ideal for kiln system components such asbeams, tiles, batts, posts and rollers.Chemical ProcessingPhoto courtesy of QVF Engineering GmbH.Hexoloy silicon carbide has long been the material ofchoice for mechanical seals and high performancebearings used in a variety of chemical processingindustries. It is also ideal for sparger tubes, nozzles,vessel linings and other demanding applicationsin the chemical, petrochemical, petroleum refining,pharmaceutical and pulp and paper industries.Hexoloy components are custom made to meetspecific application requirements. They offeruniversal corrosion resistance, low coefficient offriction, excellent wear resistance, high strength,and high thermal conductivity.

ArmorSaint-Gobain Ceramics offers a broad range of ceramic materials forcomposite armor protection systems including Hexoloy silicon carbide,Norbide® boron carbide, reaction bonded silicon carbide, alumina,sapphire and others. The various properties of these materials, suchas high hardness, compressive strength and elastic modulus providesuperior ballistic capability to defeat high-velocity projectiles fortransport aircraft, helicopters, land vehicles, AC-130U gunships andbody armor. Materials can be supplied as finished components, unfinished,machined blanks, pressed near net shape blanks, high volumepressed net shape components, and complex, highly machined parts.Engineered Products For Worldwide MarketsSpecialty MarketsSemiconductorApplications for Hexoloy in high technology industries includecomponents for semiconductor wafer processing such as vacuumchucks, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) blocks and susceptors.These applications take advantage of Hexoloy silicon carbide'sthermal expansion match to silicon, high elastic modulus, chemicalinertness, and high thermal conductivity. Hexoloy silicon carbideis well suited as a structural material for low mass wafer carriercomponents, and rigid, dimensionally stable platforms withexceptional flatness for wafer lapping and polishing.MiningHexoloy SA silicon carbide, a fully dense, monolithic ceramic with highthermal conductivity and excellent corrosion and erosion resistanceoffers distinct advantages for mining applications. Hexoloy SA valvetrim has set performance standards for use in nickel and gold oreprocessing and has provided reliable performance in extremetemperature, pressure and corrosive environments.

Saint-Gobain Structural Ceramic MaterialsHexoloy ® SAHexoloy ® SA SiC is a pressureless,sintered form of alpha silicon carbide,with a density greater than98 percent theoretical. It has a veryfine grain structure (4 - 10 microns)for excellent wear resistance andcontains no free silicon, which makesit highly chemically resistant inboth oxidizing and reducingenvironments.Hexoloy ® SPHexoloy ® SP SiC is a sintered alphasilicon carbide material designedspecifically for optimum performancein sliding contact applications.This material improves upon theexceptional friction properties ofHexoloy SA SiC (sintered alpha SiC)through the addition of sizecontrolledspherical pores.Hexoloy ® SEHexoloy ® SE SiC offers an excellentalternative material to metals,superalloys and other ceramics forapplications such as chemicalprocessing, high temperaturefurnaces, and other demanding,severe environment applications.Hexoloy SE SiC provides exceptionalproperties including extremehardness; high strength; virtuallyuniversal corrosion resistance; hightemperature stability; high thermalconductivity.www.hexoloy.com

Saint-Gobain Structural Ceramic Materials: Typical Physical Properties(Extruded)3.052404306210420601043062157.390.9107.262.077.344.7

Saint-Gobain Structural Ceramic Materials: Typical Physical Properties

FormingEconomical forming is determinedby volume and tolerances of the finalpart. Dry pressing to size is the mosteconomical forming method forvolumes of 300 pieces or more. Thismethod helps to justify the initialexpense of tooling designed specificallyfor each part. Isostatic pressing issuited to low volumes and prototypeitems.ExtrusionExtrusion is used for high-volume,constant cross-section long-lengthtubing and rod where a constant crosssection over long length is desired.Saint-Gobain Ceramic’s extrudedproducts offer our customers a partwith optimized balance of lengthcombined with minimal weight andwall thickness. Our capability rangesfrom 1/2” OD (12mm) up to a crosssection of 4.5” x 4.5” (115mm x 115mm)in lengths of up to 16 ft (5.0M).Pre-Sinter (Green)MachiningMachining in the pre-sintered orgreen state is often desirable becauseit allows manufacturing of finishedshapes without expensive grinding ofsintered material. Green machining isaccomplished using conventional CNClathes and mills. Stock removal can beaccomplished 15 times faster in thegreen state than in the sintered state.Green machining provides parts totolerances of 0.5 percent to 1.0 percentof their final dimensions. Typical greenmachined surface finishes range from32 to 64 micro inches.

Grinding/FinishingFabrication ProcessesFinal grinding is done with diamondwheels and costs increase substantiallyas blueprint tolerances tighten. Partgeometry and concentricity/parallelismalso affect costs. For example, improvingoutside diameter tolerances from +.020inch to +.010 inch can increase the priceby 2X. Improvement from +.020 inch to+.002 inch can increase the price by 4X.Saint-Gobain has the capability of grindingto close tolerances on most shapes(.0005 inch). Typical ground parts exhibitfinishes of 16 micro inches or better.When surface finishes are critical forimproved friction and wear performance,finishing operations such as lappingand honing can improve surfaces up to4 micro inches. Lapping and polishingcan provide surface flatnesses to onehelium light band.Quality AssuranceOur company mission is to maintainthe highest level of quality for ourcustomers. Saint-Gobain has stateof-the-artnondestructive evaluationequipment for final quality inspectionsof internal structures. Theseinclude bulk and surface waveultrasonics, fluorescent dye penetrant,radiography, acousticemission and photomicrography.

Customer Service & SupportYou can count on Saint-Gobain Ceramic’sexpertise to help you specify the correctstructural ceramic materials to meetexacting component design criteria. Ourapplications engineering support teamhas the experience and talent to providesolutions for product design problems.Our proven manufacturing capabilitiesensure world class supply and qualityassurance and our structural ceramicspecialists provide cost effective partprocurement. Our dedicated customerservice personnel provide the responsivenessand follow-up necessary to meetyour requirements. Saint-Gobain Ceramic’sISO 9001 2008 QMS and 14001-9004EMS certifications help to ensure ourproduct quality, employee safety andenvironmental standards support allof your company’s requirements.www.hexoloy.com

Our parent company, Saint-Gobain Corporation, is one ofthe largest engineered materials suppliers in the worldwith more than 1000 companies and more than 190,000employees in 64 countries. Saint-Gobain is a world leaderin its three main sales sectors: housing products, glassand high performance materials. Our global team focus isto create shareholder value, provide exceptional productavailability and offer product performance that servesapplications needs and supports customers.For more information, contact one of the offices in ourworldwide network or visit www.saint-gobain.com.

Your Worldwide Source For High Performance Ceramic MaterialsSaint-Gobain Ceramics offers vastresources to meet your needs for structuralceramic/silicon carbide products.With global representation and manufacturinglocations in North America,Europe and Asia we can deliver yoursolution when you need it, where youneed it, in virtually every corner of theworld.North America (USA)Our Hexoloy silicon carbide premix facility,manufacturing plant and R & D facilitiesare located in Niagara Falls, NY, USA. Ourteam of experienced and talented salesand applications engineers provide customerengineered products to help solveyour product design problems. You cancount on the proven expertise from thisteam to help you specify the correctstructural ceramic materials to meetyour exacting component criteria.EuropeSaint-Gobain maintains manufacturingand sales locations in Europe offeringglobal representation for all customerengineered Hexoloy SiC products. Ourdedicated sales team will help assist youby offering solutions to all of your designneeds.Asia (China & Japan)Saint-Gobain sales offices in Shanghai,China and Seto, Japan offer globalrepresentation for all custom engineeredHexoloy SiC components producedthrough the Hexoloy silicon carbidemanufacturing plant in Niagara Falls, NY,USA. Our dedicated sales team will helpassist you by offering solutions to all ofyour design needs.Contact information for our worldwidelocations can be found on the oppositepage.www.hexoloy.com

North AmericaSaint-Gobain CeramicsStructural CeramicsHexoloy® Products23 Acheson DriveNiagara Falls, NY 14303Telephone: 716-278-6233Fax: 716-278-2373E-mail: scd.sales@saint-gobain.comwww.hexoloy.comEuropeSaint-Gobain IndustrieKeramikRödental GmbHPostfach 1144D-96466 Rödental, GermanyTel: +49 (0)9563-724 0Fax: +49 (0)9563-724 206Email: info@sgik.saint-gobain.dewww.refractories.saint-gobain.comHexoloy® SiC European Sales OfficeSaint-Gobain CeramicsTel: +49-7147-272-337Fax: +49-7147-272-338Email: karinstorie.saint-gobain@t-online.deAsiaSaint-Gobain Advanced Ceramics(Shanghai) Co., Ltd.Bldg. 7, No. 88 Lane 2888, Hua Ning Rd.Xin Zhuang Industrial ZoneShanghai 201108, P.R. ChinaTel: +86 21 6489 9993Fax: +86 21 6442 2667e-mail: hexoloy.china@saint-gobain.comwww.hexoloy.com.cnSaint-Gobain KK (Seto Site)26 Shimo-Jinya-ChoSeto, Aichi, Japan 489-0051Tel: +81-561-97-0808Fax: +81-561-82-2384www.saint-gobain.co.jp/©2012 Saint-Gobain CeramicsAll Rights ReservedForm No. A-1204903/12Cover valve photo courtesy of Caldera Engineering.Hexoloy® Norbide®, Noralide® and AlNimaxare trademarks of Saint-Gobain Ceramics.