Zirconia Ceramic Classifying Wheels for Air Jet Mills and Classifiers

Zirconia ceramic classifying wheels are the core precision rotor components of ultrafine powder processing equipment, such as airflow mills and airflow classifiers. They typically consist of multiple blades and rotate at extremely high speeds (several thousand to tens of thousands of revolutions per minute) driven by a motor.

Due to the extreme operating conditions of high speed, wear, and sometimes even corrosion, they place extremely stringent demands on material performance. Zirconia (ZrO₂), particularly yttrium-stabilized zirconia (Y-TZP), has become recognized as the best material for high-performance classifying wheels due to its unparalleled combination of properties.

Compared to other materials, zirconia classifying wheels offer significant advantages, primarily in the following areas:
1. Excellent wear resistance. Zirconia ceramics possess extremely high hardness and excellent wear resistance, enabling them to withstand the continuous erosion and abrasion of high-speed powder particles.
2. Unparalleled toughness. This is zirconia's most prominent advantage. Its fracture toughness is more than twice that of other engineering ceramics (such as alumina), resulting in its exceptional resistance to impact and mechanical stress, earning it the nickname "ceramic steel."
Classifying wheels are subjected to immense centrifugal stresses during high-speed rotation. Zirconia's high toughness ensures it will not fracture or crack, unlike ordinary ceramics, resulting in exceptional safety and preventing catastrophic equipment failures.
3. Excellent corrosion resistance. Zirconia is a chemically inert material with excellent corrosion resistance to most acids, bases, solvents, and salts. This makes it ideal for handling potentially chemically corrosive materials, such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and battery materials, offering a wide range of applications.
4. Stable physical properties. Zirconia's moderate density (~6.0 g/cm³) facilitates good dynamic balance. Its low coefficient of friction and self-lubricating properties prevent adhesion.

Zirconia ceramic classifying wheels are widely used in powder processing applications in the following industries:

1. New Energy Batteries:
Production of positive and negative electrode materials for lithium batteries, grading of positive electrode materials such as lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, and ternary materials, and processing of battery materials with stringent iron content requirements.

2. Electronic Materials:
Processing of high-tech ceramic materials, preparation of electronic component powders, and production of 5G communication materials.

3. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industries:
Grading of fine chemical materials, processing of pharmaceutical raw material powders, and production of food-grade powders.

4. Other Industrial Industries:
Processing of wear-resistant materials and grading of high-hardness materials (such as alumina, silica, and silicon carbide).

5. Aerospace Material Preparation
This is particularly suitable for applications requiring high product purity and grading accuracy, such as the production of new energy battery materials, where iron contamination can be completely avoided, ensuring product purity.