Zirconium carbide
Properties
Chemical formula: ZrC
Name: Zirconium carbide
CAS No.: 12070-14-3
Molar mass: 103.23 g/mol
Density: 6.73 g/cm³
Melting point: approx. 3530 °C
Boiling point: approx. 5100 °C
Color: dark gray to black
Form: fine powder or dense sintered solid
Crystal structure: cubic, NaCl type
Mohs hardness: 8-9
Vickers hardness: approx. 25.5 GPa
Zirconium carbide (ZrC) is a high-strength compound of zirconium and carbon belonging to the class of refractory transition-metal carbides and Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics (UHTC). It is commercially supplied as a fine dark-gray to black powder or as a dense sintered solid.
With a melting point of approximately 3530 °C and a boiling point of around 5100 °C, zirconium carbide offers exceptionally high thermal resistance and is suitable for materials exposed to extreme-temperature environments.
ZrC crystallizes in a cubic rock-salt-type structure similar to NaCl, with strong zirconium-carbon bonding. The material has a Mohs hardness of 8-9, a Vickers hardness of approximately 25.5 GPa, a high elastic modulus and excellent resistance to abrasion and mechanical wear.
Unlike many conventional ceramics, zirconium carbide exhibits metal-like thermal and electrical conductivity together with good thermal-shock resistance. It also provides resistance to a range of dilute acids, molten metals and demanding high-temperature environments.
At elevated temperatures, ZrC efficiently absorbs infrared radiation while reflecting a significant portion of visible light. These optical and thermal properties make it suitable for functional coatings, thermal-protection systems and specialized fibers.
Industrial zirconium carbide is mainly produced by carbothermic reduction of zirconium dioxide ZrO₂ with carbon in electric-arc or induction furnaces at temperatures above approximately 1800 °C.
Zirconium and its compounds are particularly important in aerospace technology, cemented carbides, nuclear technology and functional coatings. Would you like to buy zirconium carbide? Auremo can provide information about available purity grades, particle sizes and delivery conditions. The zirconium price, zirconium metal price and zirconium price per kg primarily refer to metallic zirconium, while the zirconium carbide price depends on purity, particle size, product form and order quantity.
Advantages
• Extremely high melting point of approximately 3530 °C
• High thermal resistance for extreme operating conditions
• Mohs hardness of 8-9
• Vickers hardness of approximately 25.5 GPa
• Excellent abrasion and wear resistance
• Good thermal and electrical conductivity
• Good thermal-shock resistance
• Efficient infrared absorption
Applications
• Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics (UHTC)
• Aerospace thermal-protection materials
• Rocket nozzles
• Combustion-chamber linings
• Protective coatings for hypersonic vehicles
• Additive in WC-Co cemented carbides
• High-performance cutting materials
• Coatings for TRISO fuel particles
• High-temperature nuclear reactors
• Thermal barrier coatings (TBC)
• Infrared-absorbing functional coatings
• Heat-retaining and thermal-storage fibers
Auremo offers zirconium carbide and other high-temperature ceramic materials for industrial, research and advanced technical applications. If you have questions about purity, particle size, product form or delivery conditions, please contact us directly.
