What are Silicon Nitride Balls?
Silicon nitride is a chemical compound of silicon and nitrogen. It is a hard ceramic having high strength over a broad temperature range, moderate thermal conductivity, low coefficient of thermal expansion, moderately high elastic modulus, and unusually high fracture toughness for a ceramic. This combination of properties leads to excellent thermal shock resistance, ability to withstand high structural loads to high temperature, and superior wear resistance. Silicon nitride is mostly used in high-endurance and high-temperature applications, such as gas turbines, car engine parts, bearings and metal working and cutting tools. Silicon nitride bearings are used in the main engines of the NASA's Space shuttles. Thin silicon nitride films are a popular insulating layer in silicon-based electronics and silicon nitride cantilevers are the sensing parts of atomic force microscopes.

Uses: The most common use for silicon nitride balls is in bearings. Silicon nitride bearing balls have a coefficient of thermal expansion just 25% if most steel balls, so there is less friction generated in the bearing as heat increases. The low thermal conductivity of silicon nitride balls reduces the amount of heat absorbed, thus reducing cooling system requirements. Some sizes are available from stock; others may be manufactured to your specifications

Silicon nitride balls can be obtained by direct reaction between silicon and nitrogen at temperatures between 1300 and 1400 °C

Some of the advantages of Silicon Nitride balls are fine crystalline they never rust, and can roll without oil or grease.

Silicon nitride was first produced in 1857 by Deville and Wohler but its active commercial production had started only in 1950s. In nature, Si3N4 was found in the 1990s as tiny inclusions in meteorites, and was named nierite after American physicist Alfred O. C. Nier.

Ceramic ball bearings are created from hot presses with a combination of nitrogen, silicon powder and silicon nitride ceramic which after many industrial testing has shown to have much bigger degree of hardness compared to other familiar types. They are made of up of 3 major components an outer race, an inner race, and the balls. At ITI Ball, we will manufacture your silicon nitride balls.

Please contact us for more information or you may get a custom quote online for your Silicon Nitride Ball needs.