Zirconium Oxide Question

[gejoreni]

So there seems to be a lot of zirconium oxide being used for jewelry and kitchenware under the name "high-tech ceramic". is this something that can be fired in a kiln? it seems to be a popular ingredient for glazes, but I'm not sure if it's the same thing. Thanks in advance - sorry if it's a dumb question but sometimes dumb can lead to luck.

[MatthewV]

Zirconium ceramics (engineering usage of the word) are pretty cool.  Hardness and heat resistance are two strength that come to mind. And yes, most ceramics are formed under a high temperatures using similar equipment as our kilns.

 

From the chemical side, it is the same element, yes. It is #40 and goes by Zr.

[gejoreni]

Zirconium ceramics (engineering usage of the word) are pretty cool.  Hardness and heat resistance are two strength that come to mind. And yes, most ceramics are formed under a high temperatures using similar equipment as our kilns.

 

From the chemical side, it is the same element, yes. It is #40 and goes by Zr.

Thanks Matt, I was reading for full hardness it needs to get up to like a cone 15 - do you know if it's possible to get any maturity lower than that? Curious if it can be mixed in with other white clays like porcelain.  Sorry if these are stupid questions. I'm considering making some rings and want something harder than typical clay.

[neilestrick]

Zircon is very refractory, hence the need for high temps. In studio ceramics most folks just use it as an opacifier in the form of Superpax/Zircopax, which also has silica in it. As for straight zircon flour, people sometimes use it for kiln coatings because it resists corrosive atmospheres like salt and soda firings, but it's super expensive compared to other materials so it's not really used that often. Look it up on Digitalfire and you'll find lots of good information.