
Saint-Gobain’s synthetic sapphire is the material of choice for a variety of applications ranging from optical windows for military sensor systems to tubes, rods, and viewports for industrial and semiconductor markets. Its unique properties make it a cost-effective solution where high performance and long life are critical, including extreme conditions such as high-temperature, high-pressure or harsh chemical and physical environments.
One of the hardest materials in existence, sapphire is virtually scratch proof which helps it maintain its integrity in demanding physical environments. It has a melting point of over 2000 °C, making it ideal for high-temperature applications. It is chemically inert and easily withstands harsh chemicals such as fluorine plasma and other industrial gasses and fluids, with no particle generation. In addition, sapphire can transmit ultraviolet, visible and infrared light was well as microwaves, a range broader than most materials.
Standard available sheet product features include:
Standard available tube sizes range from .06” to 1.7” (1.5 mm to 43.0 mm) outside diameter
Standard available rod sizes up to .30” (7.6 mm) diameter and 40.0” (1016 mm) length
Properties | Value |
---|---|
Density | 3.97 gm/cm3 (0.143 lb/in3) (25°C) |
Young’s Modulus | 435 GPa (63 x 106 psi) parallel to C-axis (25°C) 386 GPa (56 x 106 psi) parallel to C-axis (1000°C) |
Modulus of Rigidity (Shear Modulus) | 175 GPa (26 x 106 psi) |
Flexural Strength | 1035 MPa (150 kpsi) parallel to C-axis (25°) 760 MPa (110 kpsi) perpendicular to C-axis (25°) |
Compressive Strength | ≈2 GPa (300 kpsi) (25°) |
Hardness |
9 on Mohs scale (between 20° and 25°C) 1900 Knoop parallel to C-axis |
Properties | Value |
---|---|
Transmission | UV through midwave IR (~200-5000nm) |
Uniaxial Negative Refractive Index | Ordinary ray (C-axis) No = 1.768 Extraordinary ray Ne-1.760 Birefringence: 0.008 |
Temperature Coefficient of Refractive Index | 13 X 10-6/°C (visible range) |
Spectral Emittance | 0.1 (1600°C) |
Spectral Absorption | 0.1 – 0.2cm-1 (0.66 μm, 1600°C) |
Properties | Value |
---|---|
Melting Point | 2053°C (3727°F) |
Specific Heat | 0.181 cal/gm°K (25°C) 0.300 cal/gm°K (1000°C) |
Thermal Conductivity | 0.4 watts/cm°K (25°C) 0.1 watts/cm°K (1000°C) |
Thermal Expansion Coefficient | (25 – 1000°C) 8.8 x 10-6; parallel to C-axis 7.9 x 10-6; perpendicular to C-axis |