Applications
Refractories
For nearly 100 years, TAM Ceramics has provided fused Zirconia and milled Zircon powder to the refractory market for very high temperature insulation and molten metal applications. TAM’s Zirox CS line of fused, calcium-stabilized zirconia provides the additional thermal stability and performance at elevated temperatures. Typical applications include firebrick and furnace linings, molten metal flow control shapes, refractory concretes, and kiln furniture.
Friction Materials
TAM Ceramics produces high quality materials for the friction market, including potassium titanate and sodium titanate for use as friction modifiers and fused zirconia used as a friction abrasive in brake pads and linings. Recently TAM introduced brand new products to the market, including our Fiber-Free Potassium Titanate and the Highly Whiskered Potassium Titanate, which was produced on a request from a client. We are very flexible, responsive, and available to make adjustments to products to meet our customers’ needs.
Investment Casting
TAM Ceramics produces engineered ceramic powders from both Zirconium Silicate (Zircon) and Zirconium Dioxide (Zirconia) in the form of stuccos and flours for use with molten metal investment casting. Typically the Zirconia is used with molten titanium and our line of milled Zircon powders is used with stainless steel and other nickel based super alloys.
Welding
TAM Ceramics has over 80 years of experience manufacturing ceramic welding powders and flux materials, including proprietary processes to produce powder that prevents moisture pick-up. TAM offers dozens of milling options to address particle size and shape requirements and ensure proper flow characteristics. Our ceramic raw material expertise with unique processing tools helps us design powders with optimal size, chemistry, and cost. Products used in welding include Sodium Titanate, Potassium Titanate, Rutile (TiO2), Zircon, and Zirconia
Sodium Titanate and Potassium Titanate are frequently used in cored welding rod formulations at ~25%wt, where the Titanate (TiO2) acts as a slag former. The Na2O and K2O are both arc stabilizers. Used together with the titanate, the sodium and potassium provide good slag flow and sustained arc stability, resulting in cleaner welds and better overall metallurgical properties. The disadvantages are that both are hygroscopic, and tend to absorb significant amounts of moisture from the air. This increased hydrogen pick-up leads to brittleness in the finished weld and can also affect the free-flowing properties of the powder when filling cored welding wire and rods. TAM Ceramics has recently developed the Potassium Titanate Free-Flow Low-Hydro powder to provide superior arc stabilization while stopping its hygroscopic nature. This “PT Low Hydro” complements our existing Sodium Titanate Free-Flow Low-Hydro material.
Advanced Ceramics
Tam Ceramics history includes many processes and ceramic material manufacturing assets which now are used for toll processing, material recycling, and advanced ceramic powder manufacturing, such as the thermoelectric material development which has led to numerous grants and provided TAM with opportunities to develop state of the art technology and advanced materials processing competencies.