Overcome Corrosion & Surface Wear
Over time and with exposure to harsh environmental elements, many metal alloy fasteners will oxidize and many polymer fasteners will degrade. Both will wear. These same harsh application environments often make easy fastener replacement not an option. Now, when facing these problems, you'll have the solution… Solid Ceramic Fasteners & Ceramco!
Impervious to Oxidation & Polymer Degradation
Ceramics possess exceptional resistance to strong acids and other chemicals. Ceramics are virtually unaffected by UV radiation and other environmental agents that degrade some polymers. The porosity of both Ceramco's alumina A998, zirconia 3YTZP and ZTA (a zirconia and alumina composite) are rated as: "impervious."
Ceramics (unlike many metals and metal alloys) do not oxidize. The reason is simple. Ceramics are already oxides! As such, they are almost unaffected by the process leading to oxidation.
While polymer fasteners may not rust in the traditional sense of the word, many are subject to their own unique form of corrosion known as: "polymer degradation," which in extreme environments also can lead to fastener failure.
Erosion Resistant
Surface breakdown also can eventually lead to fastener failure. Wear can result from corrosion as well as cavitation damage, another form of wear, resulting from impingement attack (turbulence or impinging flow). As metals and plastics wear their surfaces break down, which can lead to pitting. Ceramco’s solid alumina fasteners are fully dense, impervious, high wearing and non-corroding.
In marine environments, sea water impingement is mitigated with Ceramco’s extremely hard, oxidation-proof, solid ceramic fasteners. Chemical processing exposes fasteners to both impingement and oxidation. Again, the hard and non-oxidizing properties of Ceramco’s alumina, zirconia and ZTA (a zirconia and alumina composite) will significantly reduce equipment failure and the associated maintenance costs when compared to many metal alloy and polymer fasteners.
A Strong, Reliable Connection
You now know solid ceramic fasteners from Ceramco do not oxidize and stand-up to surface attacks in which many metal alloy and polymer fasteners may eventually fail. Solid ceramic fasteners from Ceramco continue to perform regardless of the corrosive challenge to which they are subjected. What you may not realize is that manufacturing techniques exist to produce a solid ceramic fastener that is also strong.
Strength is accomplished in two ways:
- Fully molding the solid ceramic fastener, including the threads to avoid machining, as it is the machining that weakens the ceramic.
- Full density firing of the solid ceramic fastener; the ceramic composition determines the length of time it can fired.
Ceramco’s alumina, zirconia and ZTA fastener compositions are fully molded and fired to full density, resulting in a heat resistant and strong solid ceramic fastener. Solid ceramic fasteners (like all fasteners) have limits to their strength ratings. These characteristics are called: Mechanical Properties." When not over-torqued, or subjected to impacts, Ceramco’s solid ceramic fasteners deliver consistent, reliable and long lasting performance in high heat environments.