Alumina-based Ceramics Market: Overview

Aluminum oxide, or Alumina (Al2O3), is a commonly used and well-known ceramic material that can be engineered based on end-use requirement. It provides a blend of electrical and mechanical characteristics owing to which it can be used in a wide-range of applications. Alumina-based ceramics have been used in electrical components for several years due to their high electrical insulation properties. Their use in mechanical parts can be ascribed to their high strength and resistance to wear and corrosion.

Alumina-based ceramics are manufactured in a series of purities, along with the use of additives, which are specifically designed for certain end-uses. These ceramics can be produced in ranges of shapes and sizes depending on the requirement by different processing methods such as slip casting, extrusion, and injection molding. Additionally, brazing and metallizing techniques can be used to readily attach them with metals and other ceramics.

Alumina-based Ceramics Market: Drivers & Restraints

Major applications of alumina-based ceramics are in the electronics industry (substrates, resistor cores, and heavy-duty forming tools), textile engineering, the chemical industry (heat sinks and protection tubes required in catalyst carriers and thermal processes), tiles for wear protection and ballistics, and seal and regulator discs for water taps and valves. Alumina-based ceramics are also used to manufacture capacitors, insulators, resistors, sealing refractory parts, furnace and thermocouple protection tubes, wear pads, laboratory equipment, foundry shapes, cutting tools and abrasive powders, ballistic armors, and bio-ceramic parts for dental and orthopedic surgeries.

Alumina-based Ceramics Market Trends & Segmentation

Alumina-based ceramics are available in different ranges of purity from 85% to 99.9%. Wide range of purities can be produced due to superior resistance to abrasion, chemical, and high temperature and electrical insulating properties offered by alumina. Prominent features of these ceramics are their high hardness and dielectric constant, which makes these optimal for applications such as high wear and low electric loss.

Each year, around 100 million tons of alumina is produced; therefore, it is one of the most abundant ceramic materials. The versatility in terms of purity and design flexibility, and the abundance of alumina leads to alumina-based ceramics being one of the most cost saving material as compared to others.

In terms of end-user, the global alumina-based ceramics market can be segmented into electrical and electronics, medical, chemicals, metallurgical processes, mechanical engineering, and military equipment. 

Alumina-based Ceramics Market: Region-wise Outlook

Based on region, the global alumina-based ceramics market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific accounted for a dominant share of  the global market in 2017. The region was followed by Europe and North America.

Asia Pacific accounted for a large share of the global alumina-based ceramics market due to high demand for alumina-based ceramics from metal fabrication and electrical & electronics industries. Rapidly expanding electrical & electronics sector in the region is expected to further boost the demand during the forecast period. Countries, such as China, Japan, South Korea, and India, are anticipated to add substantially to the regional demand in Asia Pacific market.

Consumption of alumina-based ceramics is estimated to increase considerably in countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K. in Europe. In terms of demand, global alumina-based ceramics market share of Western Europe is projected to be higher than that of Rest of Europe.

Rise in demand for metal fabricated components from the automotive sector is anticipated to create opportunities for the alumina-based ceramics market in Latin America and Middle East & Africa.