What fields are aluminum nitride ceramic structural components often used in
Aluminum nitride ceramics have become a key foundational material in modern high-end manufacturing due to their unique combination of high thermal conductivity, low expansion, and corrosion resistance. This advanced ceramic made by pressure sintering (1800 ℃, 30MPa) of micron sized ceramic powder (particle size<1 μ m) has demonstrated irreplaceable application value in the following fields:
1、 Semiconductor and Integrated Circuit Industry
In the core process of chip manufacturing, aluminum nitride ceramic structural components bear the dual mission of thermal management and precision support. Its thermal conductivity of up to 170-230W/(m · K) (5 times that of alumina ceramics) makes it the preferred material for high-power device packaging substrates. For example, in gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifiers for 5G base stations, aluminum nitride ceramic substrates can reduce junction temperature by more than 20 ℃ and increase device lifespan by 30%. At the same time, its thermal expansion coefficient (4.5 × 10 ⁻⁶/℃) matched with silicon (Si) can be used in advanced packaging technologies (such as 2.5D/3D packaging) to manufacture interlayer interconnect substrates, reducing thermal mismatch stress to 1/5 of traditional epoxy resin substrates and effectively reducing the risk of chip cracking.
2、 Aerospace and Precision Instruments
The aerospace industry imposes strict requirements on the extreme environmental adaptability of materials. Aluminum nitride ceramic structural components are used in satellite payload systems to manufacture the support frame for inertial navigation gyroscopes. Their stiffness (elastic modulus 310GPa) and thermal shock resistance (R value 180W/m) ensure that the equipment has an angle drift error of less than 0.001 °/h under temperature impact from -196 ℃ to+200 ℃. In precision optical instruments such as lithography machines, aluminum nitride ceramic guide rails combined with air bearing bearings can achieve nanometer level straightness (≤ 50nm/m) and flatness (≤ 20nm), meeting the picometer level requirements for motion accuracy in EUV lithography.
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3、 New Energy and Power Electronics
The electric drive system of new energy vehicles faces dual challenges of high power density and reliability. Aluminum nitride ceramic structural components are used as insulation and heat dissipation substrates in IGBT modules on 800V high-voltage platforms. Their dielectric strength (>15kV/mm) can withstand the instantaneous overvoltage during motor start stop, while controlling the junction temperature within 150 ℃, improving the range by 5% -8%. In the field of energy storage, aluminum nitride ceramics are used to manufacture electrolyte support frames for solid-state batteries. Their chemical inertness can resist lithium dendrite corrosion, and their microporous structure design (pore size 2-5 μ m) can achieve a 15% increase in ion conductivity.
4、 Medical and Biotechnology
In precision medical equipment, the biocompatibility (compliant with ISO 10993 standard) and radiation permeability of aluminum nitride ceramics make them key components of radiotherapy equipment. For example, in proton therapy systems, the high-density (3.26g/cm ³) aluminum nitride ceramic collimator can effectively block scattered protons, while its low attenuation characteristics for X-rays (half layer thickness of 1.2mm) ensure the clarity of image guidance. In the field of biochips, aluminum nitride ceramic microfluidic chips use laser microfabrication technology (accuracy ± 2 μ m) to manufacture nano scale reaction chambers, which can achieve temperature uniformity errors of less than 0.1 ℃ for single molecule detection.
Currently, aluminum nitride ceramics are developing towards multifunctionality through nanocomposite technology, such as introducing BN nanosheets. Their thermal conductivity can be further increased to 300W/(m · K), while the dielectric constant can be reduced to below 6.5, meeting the needs of high-frequency communication devices. With the maturity of low-temperature co firing (LTCC) and 3D printing technology, aluminum nitride ceramic structural components are breaking through from single functional elements to integrated components, promoting their application expansion in cutting-edge fields such as quantum computing and deep ultraviolet optics. This advanced ceramic, which is resistant to high temperatures without losing toughness, has excellent thermal conductivity and insulation properties, continues to define the material benchmark for high-end manufacturing.
