MONTREAL, April 24, 2012 /ATR-Newswire/  ELECTRONICS.CA PUBLICATIONS, the electronics industry market research and knowledge network, announces the availability of a new report entitled "High-Performance Ceramic Coatings: Markets and Technologies".

According to a new technical market research report, the North American market for high-performance ceramic coatings was worth more than $1.3 billion in 2010. This figure is expected to increase to more than $1.4 billion in 2011 and to more than $2 billion by 2016 at a projected five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%.

The ceramic coatings market can be broken down into four segments by coating technology: thermal spray, PVD (physical vapor deposition), CVD (chemical vapor deposition), and other.

Thermal spray accounted for $935.2 million in 2011 and is expected to reach nearly $1.4 billion in 2016, a CAGR of 7.8%. The PVD segment, worth $208.4 million in 2011, should experience a CAGR of 7.2% to reach $294.6 million in 2016. The CVD segment was worth $207.3 million in 2011 and by 2016 should have a value of $256 million, representing a CAGR of 4.3%. The last segment, made up of other spray techniques or processes, totaled $69.2 million in 2011 and by 2016 should reach a value of $114.8 million, a CAGR of 10.7%.

Surface modification using ceramic coatings has achieved an important place in the industrial environment over the past several decades. High-performance ceramic coatings constitute a mature but still expanding industry with a broad list of current and potential applications, continuously emerging coating techniques, and a growing list of materials compositions.

This study is directed to the various strata of companies and institutions interested in ceramic coatings, including those involved in developing, manufacturing, and supplying advanced materials; those involved in the development and manufacture of high-performance metallic and ceramic components; suppliers of advanced ceramic powders and components; manufacturers and suppliers of thermal spray, PVD, CVD, and ionic beam and laser beam coating equipment; producers of vacuum equipment; and suppliers of coating consumables.

Ceramic coatings constitute a large family of materials with quite diverse compositions and properties.  They include compositions based on alumina, alumina–magnesia, chromia, hafnia, silica, silicon carbide, titania and zirconia.  Ceramic coatings are generally applied to metal or metallic alloy components or to ceramic components

High–performance ceramic coatings are a special class of ceramics in their form and the preparation techniques required.  However, their uses are diverse, and they exploit the wide range of unique and desirable properties of various bulk ceramics.  Ceramic coatings are generally used for wear- (or erosion-), corrosion- and high temperature-resistant applications.  All ceramic coatings deliver some level of performance in each of the three major areas listed above.

The availability and commercialization of high–performance coatings have already changed the internal specification patterns of certain industries, such as cutting tool inserts.  The useful life of coated inserts is many times the life of uncoated inserts.  This, in turn, has reduced the cost of cutting tool inserts and at the same time has increased productivity.  Similarly, ceramic–coated components for aircraft turbine engines resulted in building large aircraft.  Now, auto enthusiasts are coating certain auto engine components to improve auto engine performance.  Also, ceramic coatings have made it possible for certain large machine components to be repaired in situ.

Details of the new report, table of contents and ordering information can be found on Electronics.ca Publications' website. View the report: High-Performance Ceramic Coatings: Markets and Technologies.