Technical Ceramics

Imerys engineered solutions for technical ceramics are suitable for the production of porcelains, steatites, cordierites, mullites and alumina ceramics for electrical fittings, thermal applications, automotive, aerospace, military and medical products.

Imerys offers an extensive portfolio of standard and bespoke technical ceramics body solutions derived from our extensive range of industrial minerals including:

• Technical and alumina porcelain bodies
• Steatite bodies
• Cordierite bodies
•  Alumina bodies

All our technical ceramics bodies are suitable for the production of highly complex shapes.

We have a broad portfolio of mineral resources and a spread of processing plants throughout the world which allow us to match the right mineral to each type of technical ceramics body type.
Each mineral plays a crucial part in the performance the final part:

Ourextensive range of ball clays provide suitable properties:

• High plasticity and unfired modulus of rupture to allow the shaping of complex items while reducing breakage
• Low silica values to reduce the forming of cristobalite
• Low alkali values in alkali preventing  chemical digestion of the cordierite phase
• Low Al₂O₃values to boost steatite forming phase
• High Al₂O₃values to boost cordierite forming phase

Imerys kaolins present the following properties:

• Low rates of free quartz particles
• Low alkali values in alkali preventing  chemical digestion of the cordierite phase
• Low to extremely low alkali values in alkali to decrease flux phase in alumina bodies
• Suitable particle size to optimize particle packing

Imerys talcs present:

• A microcrystalline structure and low Al₂O₃ values promoting very high steatite dielectrical properties
• Low CaO values to reduce steatite deformation
• High Al₂O₃ values to build the cordierite phase
• High Al₂O₃ values and valuable flux effect limiting growth of corundum grain size in alumina bodies

With their low magnetic content, Imerys chamottes for cordierites provide:

• Low firing shrinkage
• Low coefficient of thermal expansion
• Improved casting properties

Thanks to our pilot plants, we are able to provide small scale production samples to test and validate development batches.

We are also a leading supplier of kiln furniture solutions for technical ceramics production.
Please consult our Kiln Furniture section.