Energy and Environmental Protection

Advanced ceramics (also known as high-performance ceramics or precision ceramics) are ceramic materials that are made from high-purity, ultra-fine raw materials and sintered through precisely controlled processes to achieve specific and exceptional properties.

Due to their unique properties, advanced ceramics are playing a revolutionary role in energy production and environmental protection, and are key materials for achieving sustainable development and the "dual carbon" goals.

Common advanced ceramics in the energy and environmental protection sectors include:

• Alumina (Al₂O₃): Excellent insulation and corrosion resistance.
• Zirconia (ZrO₂): High strength, high toughness, and ionic conductivity.
• Silicon carbide (SiC): High thermal conductivity, high hardness, excellent high-temperature strength, and corrosion resistance.
• Silicon nitride (Si₃N₄): High toughness, excellent thermal shock resistance, and low density.

Advanced ceramics are thriving in the energy and environmental protection sectors due to their unique material properties:

• Excellent high-temperature resistance: They maintain their shape and strength at temperatures far above the melting point of metals (e.g., above 1600°C), making them the cornerstone of efficient thermal energy systems.
• Excellent thermal stability and thermal shock resistance: They can withstand drastic temperature fluctuations without cracking, ensuring system reliability during startups, shutdowns, and variable operating conditions.
• Excellent corrosion and chemical stability: They withstand corrosion in extreme environments such as high-temperature molten salts, acidic gases, and molten metals, resulting in an extremely long service life.
• Specific electrical properties: They can function as both excellent insulators, ionic conductors (e.g., zirconium oxide), and semiconductors (e.g., silicon carbide), meeting diverse electrochemical requirements.
• High hardness and wear resistance: They maintain performance over time in harsh abrasive environments, reducing maintenance costs.

1. Energy Generation and Conversion

• Clean Fossil Energy and Carbon Capture
• Nuclear Energy
• Solar Energy Utilization
• Fuel Cells
• Lithium Batteries and Energy Storage

2. Environmental Protection and Pollution Control

• Industrial Waste Gas Treatment (Denitrification, Deodorization)
• High-Temperature Flue Gas Dust Removal
• Water Treatment and Purification
• Sensing and Monitoring

Advanced ceramics have evolved from supporting materials to core enabling materials for the energy revolution and environmental governance. Through enabling technologies, they make possible many previously inaccessible or inefficient high-temperature, high-pressure, and highly corrosive processes, directly driving improved energy efficiency and near-zero pollutant emissions.