Applications for SCHOTT NEXTREMA® Glass-Ceramic

SCHOTT NEXTREMA^® is a range of high-performance glass-ceramics designed for high-temperature applications. The NEXTREMA^® line of products exhibits numerous beneficial properties including:

• High service temperature
• Near zero thermal expansion
• Thermal shock resistance
• Wide transmittance spectrum in visible light and IR range
• Surface resistance
• Gas impermeability
• Process inertness
• Robustness at high temperatures.

Read more details about the properties of NEXTREMA® glass-ceramics. 

These properties make the materials ideal for an ever-growing range of applications, some highlights of which are outlined here.

Infrared applications

The NEXTREMA^® product portfolio has been optimised for high transmission in the infrared (IR) spectrum. This makes it the perfect material to combine with infrared heating elements, to protect inter alia more fragile heating components from mechanical damage or soiling.

One example of such use of NEXTREMA^® for non-industrial applications is for the stylish covering as well as the protection of patio IR heaters from impacts and contaminants. For the same reason, NEXTREMA^® is well suited for industrial applications such as drying or heating processes or food preparation.

Further applications include:

• Components in machine equipment
• Glare-reduction for outdoor heating
• Protection for IR heaters in industrial equipment

 

Many industries are benefiting from NEXTREMA^®:

• Automotive and aviation, for paint drying applications
• Electronics, for soldering machines in the manufacture of printed circuit boards
• Food preparation, for kebab grills and electric barbeques
• Spa and wellness, for infrared saunas
• Outdoor living, e.g. patio, gastronomy

High-temperature furnaces

NEXTREMA^® is an excellent replacement material for plastics, metals and quartz depending on the temperature requirements. It is being successfully implemented in machinery of leading manufacturers of flat-panel displays, for example, AMOLED displays. This is thanks to its near-zero thermal expansion in combination with its temperature resistance and transmittance spectrum.

NEXTREMA^® is also exceptionally suited for low-temperature polycrystalline silicon and oxide thin-film transistors (LTPS-TFT) and for polyamide curing.

Some other existing applications for which NEXTREMA^® has proven its excellent performance include carrier plates and supports for substrates in high-temperature processes, insulation for furnaces and for components in sputtering and coating equipment.

It is also ideal for furnace applications in the photovoltaics industry, where it is used for the manufacture of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) and CdTe solar panels.

These applications have benefited from the use of NEXTREMA^® due to its availability in large sheets, enabling use in large-sized furnaces, its good transmission in the visible light and infrared range, its near-zero thermal expansion, non-porous resistant surface, thermal shock resistance and its smooth and chemically resistant surface.

Household appliances

Redefine Glass Toaster by Morphy Richards with SCHOTT NEXTREMA^® glass-ceramic

The excellent performance of NEXTREMA® also enables revolutionary designs for small household appliances. In combination with transparent thin-film heat coatings, NEXTREMA^® enables novel designs in industries such as home appliances, food preparation and electric grills. Specific applications in these industries include easy-to-clean microwave inserts and cover plates for radiant heat sources, such as transparent toasters.

Redefine ATOMiST vapour iron by Morphy Richards with SCHOTT NEXTREMA® glass-ceramic

Grills and BBQs

The excellent properties of NEXTREMA^® also enable transparent grill windows. Such applications are not advisable with tempered glass due to its susceptibility to thermal shock when unevenly heated or heated at high temperatures for extended periods - which are easily achieved in grilling.

NEXTREMA^® exhibits a near-zero coefficient of thermal expansion, thermal shock resistance, robustness at high temperatures and high chemical resistance. As such, the material provides resistance to the temperatures present in grilling (which can exceed 300 °C) while simultaneously withstanding outdoor temperatures and weather changes. Its mechanical properties also allow for large viewing windows, letting in natural light. This enables NEXTREMA^® to be used for transparent BBQ lids.

NEXTREMA^® is stable at temperatures of up to 950 °C (depending on the material type). For this reason, as well as the reasons outlined above, this material is an excellent choice for burner shields, outdoor cooking surfaces and any other applications in which the material is exposed to similarly extreme environments.

Endless possibilities – the glass-ceramic of the future

The impressive properties of NEXTREMA^® glass-ceramics mean there are limitless opportunities to enhance existing technologies and enable those which were previously impossible.

NEXTREMA^® enables:

• Precision, for consistent measurement results even with extreme temperature fluctuations
• Process observation, an essential feature with the advent of Industry 4.0
• Lab technology, where sterilisation is key
• Efficient drying technology, through IR drying equipment
• Energy recovery, as a component in exhaust gas recovery systems
• Breath-taking heating technology
• Efficient, new design
• Design-oriented technology

These are only a small handful of the possibilities NEXTREMA^® can open up for engineers and designers. We’re excited to see what other new technologies you will enable with NEXTREMA^®.