Materials

  • Alumina [“Alox”] (Al2O3) is one of the most important oxide ceramic materials and is characterized by high levels of hardness as well as good corrosion and temperature resistance. Components made from alumina are electrically insulating and typically puncture-proof and are therefore suitable for a wide range of applications, such as substrates in the electronics industry, thread guides in textile engineering, protection in thermal processes and many others.
    • A high-purity aluminium oxide (99.99 %) with outstanding material properties. It is characterized by a high density, a high four-point bending strength and a very smooth surface ex-process.
    • A second high-purity aluminium oxide (99.8 %) also with outstanding material properties which has been developed to manufacture highly complex components with small features, internal channels and holes.
    • Both materials can be used for industrial applications and also bio-medical engineering for permanent implants or devices due to high biocompatibility.
  • Yttria Toughened Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystalline [YT TZP] is used for applications with extreme demands on the material. High-end metal forming, valves, bearings and cutting tools are some of the applications which benefit from the mechanical properties of zirconia. The biocompatibility of zirconia facilitates its use in medical applications, such as dental applications and as part of permanent implants.
    • A 3 mol% Yttria stabilized zirconia. Some of the mechanical highlights of this material include its excellent flexural strength, fracture toughness, resistance to abrasion and thermal shock resistance.
    • These properties, in combination with its chemical resistance even at elevated temperatures, make zirconia the perfect material for structural applications.
  • Hydroxyapatite [HA or HAP] is a naturally occurring mineral that forms the main component of bones. Due to its similarities to the inorganic components of bone, HA possesses excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity and has a number of potential applications as a bone substitute. In comparison to tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite takes far more time to be absorbed into the body, therefore giving the body more time to heal. Using HA, we can manufacture patient-specific, bioresorbable implants, which have defined pore structures and geometries. These implants will be reabsorbed by the body and will be replaced by native bone tissue, meaning that the implant does not need to be removed once the healing process is finished.
    • We use a ceramic which is based upon hydroxyapatite. Due to its relative density of 85% and a corresponding porosity of 15%, the material is especially suitable for bioresorbable applications.
    • Complies with the specification for hydroxyapatite as implant material (ASTM F1085 – 03) and source certified.
  • Tricalcium phosphate [TCP] exhibits excellent biocompatibility, bioresorbability and osteoconductivity, and is therefore a well-established material for bone replacement in regenerative medicine. Due to its properties, it is possible to manufacture patient-specific resorbable implants with defined pore structures and geometries using this material. During the healing phase, these implants will be resorbed by the body and replaced by native bone tissue, meaning that a second surgery for the removal of the implant is not necessary.
    • We use a material based on the ceramic beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and, under certain sintering conditions, a final density of up to 98 % can be achieved.
    • Complies with the specification for β-tricalcium phosphate as implant material (ASTM F1088 – 04a) and source certified.
  • Silicon Nitride Silicon nitride is a β-SiAlON type ceramic. It exhibits superior material properties such as high strength, high toughness, thermal shock resistance and good chemical resistance to corrosion from many acids and alkalis.
    • This material has a wide range of applications including insulators, springs, impellers and more. Furthermore, it can be used for the medical engineering of permanent implants due to its osseointegration potential and anti-infective properties.
    • Additionally, finished parts can be used at service temperatures up to 1,200 °C.