Advanced ceramic materials constitute a mature technology with a very broad base of current and potential applications and a growing list of material compositions. These include inorganic, nonmetallic materials with combinations of fine-scale microstructures, purity, compositions and crystal structures, and accurately controlled additives. Such materials require a level of processing science and engineering, far beyond that used in making conventional ceramics. Collectively, they represent an enabling technology whose continued development is critical to advances in a host of new high-technology applications, ranging from modern microelectronics to superconductors and nanotechnology.
According to a soon-to-be-released updated report from Business Communications Company, Inc, RGB-102U Advanced Ceramic Powders and Nano Ceramic Powders, the total U.S. market for advanced ceramic powders in 2002, including nano-sized powders, is estimated to be 918 million pounds worth $1,605 million. This is projected to increase to 1,178 million pounds worth $2,286 million by the year 2007 as the value of the market grows at an AAGR (annual average growth rate) of 7.3% through the forecast period.
In 2002, advanced ceramic powder still constituted 97.5% in volume and 90.4% in value. However, in the next 5 years, the volume will go down to 95.9% while the value will go down to 89.5%. This is due to increased usage of nanoceramic powders. Among the ceramic powders, oxide constitutes 97.3% of the market in volume and 88.5% in value in 2002. However, by 2007, volume share of the oxides will be 98.2%, while the value share will go down slightly to 87.9%.
Nano-sized powders are now available in developmental, prototype, and commercial quantities. Several companies are attempting to use these materials. Applications include nano-sized iron oxide powders used as very fine abrasives for chemical mechanical polishing, burning catalysts for solid fuel rockets, magnetic recording media, optical fiber coatings, magnetic materials in ferrofluids, fuel cells, oxygen sensors, optoelectronic devices, and developmental and prototype ceramic components. For 2002, BCC has estimated that the total consumption of nano-sized ceramic powders was about 23.3 million pounds worth $154 million. This is expected to grow 9.3% per year on average to reach 48.8 million pounds worth $241.2 million by the year 2007.
In terms of applications, currently the largest share goes to combined electronic, magnetic and optical applications with 53.4%, followed by chemical and environmental related applications with 40.1%. Structural ceramics constitute a distant third with 4.5%, followed by thermal spray coatings with 2.1%. By 2007, both electronic and structural applications will increase their shares slightly at the cost of chemical and environmental related applications.
In terms of growth rates, the largest goes to structural ceramics, with an AAGR of 9.6%. The structural ceramic applications area will be followed by electronics / magnetic / optical with an AAGR of 7.5%. Chemical and environmental applications will see an annual growth rate of 6.9%, followed by thermal spray coatings with 5.3%.
U.S. companies have caught up with Japanese and European companies in research and development as well as in commercialization of new powder synthesis techniques and in particular nano-sized ceramic powders. Foreign companies dominate the U.S. in silicon nitride and electronic grade aluminum nitride powders. In all other areas, the U.S. has a good footing and is expected to continue its dominance. One major reason for this healthy growth has been due to growth in the U.S. economy compared to Europe and Japan, although all the economies have been struggling since 2001. The U.S. ceramic consumption is getting an added boost due to increased military spending since the 911 terrorist attacks and this growth trend is expected to continue for the next 5 years.