The global market for advanced ceramic and nanoceramic powders is expected to demonstrate solid growth from 2016-2021. According to a report from BCC Research, the growth rate for the nanoceramic powders segment should more than double that of the advanced ceramic powders segment, significantly growing its share of the total market by 2021.

The global market for advanced and nanoscale ceramic powders will grow from nearly $14.6 billion in 2016 to $22.3 billion by 2021, reflecting a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9%. Advanced ceramic powders, which accounted for 81.6% of the market in 2015, should total about $11.7 billion and $16 billion in 2016 and 2021, respectively, with a five-year CAGR of 6.5%. However, the nano-sized powders segment should grow more substantially during the forecast period, increasing its market share to 28.1% by 2021. In 2015, the market for ceramic nanopowders was estimated at $2.3 billion. The market should approach $2.7 billion in 2016 and exceed $6.1 billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 18% over the next five years. 

The potential for ceramics in structural applications is quite diverse; examples range from disposable inserts for cutting tools to artificial bone implants. Some of the current commercial applications include cutting tools, mechanical seals, ceramic liners, bearings, thread guides and bio-implants, including dental teeth and caps. Major efforts are underway to apply structural ceramics to automotive reciprocation engines for wear components, turbochargers and a variety of diesel engine components such as gas turbines for regenerators, recuperators, and stationary elements. Success in any of these future applications will dynamically affect market growth, improve energy efficiency, aid in the balance of trade, and reduce dependency on strategic metals. 

The promise of performance improvements is the main driving force behind continued development and commercialization of high-performance ceramic coatings. These coatings are generally applied to engineering metals such as cast iron, steels, superalloys, titanium alloys, tungsten carbides, carbon/carbon composites and other ceramics. Use of ceramic coatings enables metals to be used for several applications for which they would otherwise be unsuitable due to the severity of the service environment. 

“The market is and will continue to be dominated on a volume basis by oxide ceramics, primarily nanocrystalline silica, alumina, iron oxide, titania and zinc oxide,” said Andrew McWilliams, analyst. “Nanocrystalline silica and alumina alone constituted more than 30% of the market in 2015. The potential commercial applications are very much in the discovery stage, partly because the material behavior of ceramics and other materials from nanopowders are in the process of being defined. As the market for nanoparticles expands, especially in demanding applications such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, existing production technologies are continually being refined and new processes developed.”

For more information, visit www.bccresearch.com.