Innovative new FKS material grades tailored to the special glass industries
2010-07-19
Based on the traditional core competencies metallurgy, chemistry, and material science, Umicore is capable to provide ultimate engineered material solutions. Umicore’s Oxide Dispersion Strengthened FKS material family with its unique properties for different high-temperature applications of PGM components is a prominent example.
The key properties for PGM materials in high temperature applications are creep strength and creep elongation which significantly determine performance, liability and life time of a PGM component. Depending on the individual field of application either one or both factors, can be predominant for optimal performance. Hence different material grades are needed:
- Since extremely high creep strength often comes with high brittleness, such materials typically bear the risk of generating cracks and fractures due to thermal extension of the component. This is particularly true if exposed to frequent temperature cycling. In order to overcome those challenges the ideal material needs to give reasonable creep strength at high creep elongation while avoiding any grain growth over life time.
- Other types of components – such as stirrers or plungers – are usually exposed to high operational loads. Creep rupture strength represents the limiting factor in terms of life time. Naturally those parts are installed with one fix-point only, so the thermal extension can be easily released in axial and radial direction. The suitable material for construction here will give extremely high creep rupture strength while avoiding any grain growth over life time, at which a certain brittleness of the material does not have any negative impact.
- The recently optimized classic FKS material grade demonstrates a compromise between the two above key material properties and therefore gives high creep rupture strength at acceptable creep elongation. Also for this material no grain growth over life time can be observed after the initial aging step in the process.
We will highlight the above material grades and provide further detailed data at the Glasstec show 2010. We look forward to meet you there at our booth.