Hardness (Wear Resistance)

The hardness of Fine Ceramics is generally indicated using a Vickers hardness number. The method for measuring the hardness of Fine Ceramics is defined in JIS R 1610 (ISO 14705: 2000). Vickers hardness is a resistance value obtained by pressing a diamond indenter onto a test specimen. Extreme hardness is the primary feature that endows Fine Ceramics with their superior wear resistance. This has led to the use of Fine Ceramics in a wide range of applications, including pump components, cutting tools, seal rings, bearings and a multitude of wear-resistant components for industrial equipment.

Vickers Hardness HV9.807N GPa		Material Name & Code	Features
High Low	23.0	Silicon CarbideSiC SC1000	Lightweight, highly corrosion-resistant and excellent heat-resistant material.
	22.5 In the case of a-plane	SapphireAl₂O₃ SA100	It's a single crystal of alumina, a transparent material.
	15.7	CermetTiC,TiN TC030O	It is a composite material of TiC or TiN and metal, and has excellent strength and wear resistance.
	15.2	AluminaAl₂O₃ AO479O(99%Alumina)	It is a widely used material with high electrical insulation and mechanical strength.
	14.0	Silicon NitrideSi₃N₄ SN240O	This material has excellent heat shock resistance and wear resistance, and has high strength even at high temperatures.
	12.3	ZirconiaZrO₂ ZO201N	It is a material with high strength and fracture toughness.
	10.4	Aluminum NitrideAlN AN216A	It's a material with high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation.
	8.0	Cordierite2MgO·2Al₂O₃·5SiO₂ CO220O	This material has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion and has a small size change due to temperature change.
	7.3	Forsterite2MgO·SiO₂ F1120O	Smooth surface and excellent insulation at high temperature.
	6.0	YttriaY₂O₃ YO100A	This material has excellent corrosion resistance in a plasma environment.

Case studies utilizing this property

Ceramic Properties