SC0909 Silicon Nitride Bearing, Si3N4

Catalog No.	SC0909
Material	Ceramic
Purity	97%~99%
Density	3.44 g/cm3

Silicon Nitride Bearing Description

Silicon nitride bearing is made of a high-melting-point ceramic material that is extremely hard and relatively chemically inert. Silicon nitride Si3N4 ceramic is prepared by heating powdered silicon between 1300 °C and 1400 °C in an atmosphere of nitrogen. Then the powder of silicon nitride can be sintered to designed shape. Si3N4 ceramic is an ideal material for bearings. Silicon nitride ceramic bearing has good wear and corrosion resistance, and great mechanical strength under high temperature. We can supply full ceramic and hybrid bearings products made by silicon nitride, zirconia as well as silicon carbide.

Silicon Nitride Bearing Specifications

Comparison of ceramic bearings & steel bearing

	Si3N4	ZrO2	Steel
Working temperature	800 C	800 C	180 C
Density	3.24 g/cm3	6 g/cm3	7.8 g/cm3
Thermal expansion coeff.	3.4×10-6	10.5	12.5×10-6
Hardness, HV	1500	1300	About 750
Young’s Module	320 GPa	210 GPa	208 GPa
Corrosion resistance	Good	Good	Poor
Thermal conductivity	Low	Low	High
Magnetism	None	None	Yes
Wear resistance	Excellent	Excellent	Good

Silicon Nitride Bearing Applications

Silicon nitride ceramic is ideal for bearing parts. Silicon nitride bearing balls have already been applied in automobiles, rockets high-speed engines, equipment working in a corrosive environment and some performance model cars. Compared with steel, high-performance ceramic balls have better mechanical properties under high temperature and could survive from most the corrosive chemicals. As the price of ceramic materials decreased, it could have more applications.