International Syalons sialon ceramics: thermocouple sheaths, dies, weld rolls and nozzles

Thermocouple sheaths, heater tubes, extrusion dies, weld rolls, nut weld pins and blast nozzles in Syalon 101 and Syalon 050. Grade selection and a quotation for your project.

Sialon thermocouple protection tubes

Syalon 101 sheaths are immersed in molten aluminium, its alloys and zinc for constant temperature monitoring. The material is non-wetting to most non-ferrous alloys, so dross build-up stays low. Above 1200 °C Syalon 050 is used, rated up to 1400 °C.

OD 9–28 mm
Length up to 2000 mm
Syalon 101: molten Al and Zn
Syalon 050: up to 1400 °C

Heater and riser tubes, crucibles and ladles

Syalon 101 tubes protect immersion and induction heaters in aluminium and other non-ferrous foundries. Riser tubes come with closed and angled open ends. Syalon 101 ladles and crucibles need no preheating and can be coated with non-wetting boron nitride.

OD 60–190 mm
Length up to 1500 mm
Ladles: no preheating
Boron nitride coating

Extrusion and drawing die inserts

Syalon 101 die inserts serve extrusion and drawing of copper, brass and Nimonic alloys. The ceramic has no metallic phase, so die pick-up is eliminated. For complex profiles there is electrically conductive Syalon 501, which can be EDM machined.

Nimonic: up to 120 times steel die life
Brass: 250 t versus 100 t
Copper: 75 t versus 40 t
Syalon 501: EDM machinable

ERW weld rolls for tube mills

Syalon 101 squeeze rolls press the tube in electric resistance welding with high-frequency heating. They eliminate material pick-up, which matters for stainless steel, brass and aluminium tube. The tube mill range also covers seam guides, tube expanders and calibration drawing dies.

Up to 12 times tool steel roll life
HF weld power cut by up to 30%
Weld and forming rolls
Stainless, brass and aluminium tube

Weld location pins for nut welding

Syalon 101 and Zircalon location and control pins position nuts precisely when they are welded to sheet metal. Syalon 101 pins have over 20 years of use with leading automotive manufacturers. Zircalon 10 and Zircalon 30 suit severe impact but not thermal shock.

Nuts M4–M14
Standard ISN and ISP series
Syalon 101: 20+ years in automotive
Zircalon: double the weight

Shot and sand blast nozzles

Shot and sand blast nozzle liners are made from Syalon 050 with high hardness and fracture toughness. At low impact angles tungsten carbide wears faster as its cobalt binder erodes. Syalon 101 serves as a consumable nozzle in metal powder production.

3/8" nozzle: over 1000 h
100 psi with chilled iron grit
Alternative to tungsten carbide
Syalon 050 and Syalon 101

Seals, bushes, liners and milling media

Syalon 101 plates serve as the hard face in mechanical seals of pumps and compressors. Tubes and bushes are made with flanges, grooves, tapers or chamfers. Hydrocyclone liners work in sub-sea oil extraction, and milling media lose about 14% of the weight lost by agate.

Pump mechanical seals
Bushes with flanges and chamfers
Hydrocyclone liners
Media wear: about 14% of agate

Syalon sialon grades

The company makes five grades of sialon and silicon nitride. Syalon 101 combines strength, hardness and toughness, while Syalon 201 retains strength up to 1350 °C. Syalon 110 was developed as a break ring for horizontal continuous steelmaking lines, and 21R powder is added to sialon formulations.

Five sialon grades
Flexural strength: 945 MPa
Fracture toughness: 7.7 MPa m½
Syalon 201: up to 1350 °C

How to choose an International Syalons part

Selection starts with the unit and its duty. For molten aluminium and zinc International Syalons offers thermocouple sheaths, heater tubes, crucibles and ladles; for extrusion and tube welding, dies, weld rolls and location pins; for abrasive wear, nozzles, seals, bushes and liners.

Next comes the grade. Syalon 101 combines strength, hardness and toughness for duty where temperatures do not continuously exceed 1000 °C; Syalon 050 is harder and can be used up to 1400 °C in air.

Molten non-ferrous metals

Syalon 101 thermocouple sheaths are immersed in aluminium, its alloys and zinc; the manufacturer compares them with iron, silicon carbide and alumina sheaths. Standard sheaths range from 9 to 28 mm OD with lengths up to 2000 mm.

Heater and riser tubes come in 60 to 190 mm OD and lengths up to 1500 mm. Syalon 101 ladles and crucibles need no preheating and can be coated with boron nitride.

Extrusion, drawing and tube welding

Syalon 101 dies for extrusion and drawing of copper, brass and Nimonic alloys avoid die pick-up; on Nimonic they last up to 120 times longer than steel dies. Electrically conductive Syalon 501 can be EDM machined to complex profiles.

Syalon 101 weld rolls for HF tube welding last up to 12 times longer than tool steel rolls and can cut weld power by up to 30%. Syalon 101 and Zircalon pins locate M4–M14 nuts welded to sheet metal.

Abrasive wear and chemical duty

Syalon 050 shot blast nozzles replace tungsten carbide: a 3/8 inch nozzle at 100 psi ran more than 1000 hours without appreciable wear. Syalon 101 plates serve in mechanical seals of pumps and compressors.

Sialon and silicon carbide tubes are used instead of Inconel, and bushes are made with flanges and chamfers. Milling media for sample preparation include a yttria-free Syalon 101.

Syalon grades and their limits

The company produces sialon by pressureless and high-pressure sintering in five grades. Syalon 101 is the general engineering grade, Syalon 050 serves wear and temperatures up to 1400 °C, and Syalon 201 retains strength up to 1350 °C.

Syalon 110 was developed as a break ring for horizontal continuous steelmaking lines, and conductive Syalon 501 can be used in air up to around 700 °C. Sialon flexural strength is 945 MPa and fracture toughness 7.7 MPa m½.

The manufacturer

International Syalons (Newcastle) Ltd was established in the late 1970s near Newcastle upon Tyne and was the first to patent and market sialon ceramics. Since 2018 it has been part of the Calsitherm group.

Besides sialon the company offers alumina, Zircalon zirconia and silicon carbide. Grade, dimensions and lead time are stated in the quotation for each project.

International Syalons and model names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the equipment for which we source parts. SpareX is not an official dealer, distributor or representative of International Syalons and is not affiliated with the trademark owner. Origin, documents and warranty are stated for each item in the quotation.