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| Fine Ceramics Offer a Wide Range of Thermal Conductivity |
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The property that measures how well heat is transmitted through a material is called thermal conductivity. Among Fine Ceramics, some materials possess high levels of conductivity and transfer heat well, while others possess low levels of conductivity and transfer less heat. Aluminum nitride and silicon carbide transfer heat particularly well. Aluminum nitride is used in packages for semiconductors that emit high volumes of heat, but must avoid accumulating heat internally. Zirconia blocks heat effectively and its coefficient of thermal conductivity is
low — 1/10 that of stainless steel. It is used for kiln walls, which are exposed to high temperatures.
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| Applications: Materials with high thermal conductivity, such as IC packages. Materials with low thermal conductivity, such as kiln walls. |
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| Thermal Conductivity |
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The property that measures how easily heat is transmitted through a material is called thermal conductivity. For ceramics, factors such as internal porosity, grain boundaries and impurities can affect this property.
Higher or lower levels of thermal conductivity can be attained in Fine Ceramic materials by controlling these factors.
Thermal Conductivity of Ceramics
Thermal conduction is generated by the movement of electrons and the transfer of lattice vibrations. Metals with low electrical resistance and crystals in which lattice vibrations are transferred easily (for example, crystals with atoms or ions of similar masses at lattice points and covalent crystals with strong bonds) display high thermal conductivity.
Thermal Conductivity at Room Temperature
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