Zirconia (ZrO₂) is known for its exceptional fracture toughness, made possible by a unique toughening mechanism. This is based on a metastable crystalline phase that transforms into a stable phase under mechanical stress. The resulting volume expansion at the crack tip inhibits crack propagation and increases the material’s overall strength and reliability. Both its bending strength and fracture toughness exceed those of alumina (Al₂O₃).

Although we offer 3D printing of zirconia, it is significantly more complex and nearly twice as costly as printing alumina. That’s why we generally recommend leveraging our advanced ceramic machining services including precision CNC grinding and polishing to shape zirconia components efficiently and cost-effectively.

Zirconia is an ideal material for metal-ceramic hybrid components due to its elastic modulus and thermal expansion being similar to that of steel. As a result, mechanical loads or thermal cycling generate minimal internal stresses at the material interfaces.
With a very low thermal conductivity of only 2 W/mK, zirconia is perfectly suited for thermal insulation applications. It also features a low coefficient of friction, improving its sliding properties. Like other ceramics, it is electrically insulating and non-magnetic.

Typical applications include wire forming tools, welding system components, positioning and centering pins, as well as any custom-designed ceramic part for demanding use cases.
To optimize its transformation toughening behavior, our standard zirconia contains 3 mol% yttria (Y₂O₃) as a stabilizer.