3M™ Silicon Nitride Materials and Components

Heavy-duty diesel engines. Jet engine igniters. Oil wells thousands of feet underground. When extreme conditions like these push equipment to its limits, 3M™ Silicon Nitride industrial ceramics deliver high performance where other materials fail.

3M silicon nitride is 60% lighter than steel but strong enough to survive some of the most demanding applications in a variety of industries. This lightweight, high-strength ceramic material is used as an alternative to stainless steel, super alloys, tungsten carbides and first-generation ceramics such as Al2O3 and ZrO2. It offers excellent thermal shock resistance and high fracture toughness, compatibility with nonferrous metal melts, and improved structural reliability compared to other ceramic materials.

3M silicon nitride is available in a variety of grades, including fully dense and high-purity compositions. 3M silicon nitride materials and components are produced at fully dedicated manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Germany, using unique compositions and processing techniques. We can produce components to net or near-net shape, and components requiring close tolerances can be finish-machined in our fully equipped precision diamond grinding facilities.

Applications for 3M silicon nitride include:

• Foundries
• Electronics
• Oil & Gas
• Automotive
• Aerospace