Advanced Engineered Materials (ASX: AEM) has announced a significant cooperation agreement with Swiss company Zürcher Frères SA (ZFS), following successful collaboration on advanced ceramic materials. AEM is a producer of high purity alumina (HPA) with production facilities in Cap-Chat, Quebec, Canada, specialising in advanced materials for demanding applications. The agreement positions AEM as the exclusive supplier of its nano particle HPA for ZFS’s zirconia-alumina ceramics production, a move that capitalises on substantial performance improvements observed in laboratory testing.
The partnership, which commenced in late 2024, has focused on enhancing zirconia-alumina ceramics, including Alumina-Toughened Zirconia (ATZ) and Zirconia Toughened Alumina (ZTA). AEM’s nano particle HPA has delivered real gains in mechanical properties such as hardness and fracture toughness in these ceramics. ZFS, a specialist high-value ceramics manufacturer, reported “outstanding” performance from zirconia-alumina ceramics manufactured with AEM’s HPA during laboratory testing. Michael Adams, AEM’s Managing Director and CEO, stated that their nano particle HPA has proven to be “a real winner” in advanced ceramics, offering significant mechanical performance improvements over current suppliers.
This ongoing cooperation agreement paves the way for commercialisation across several demanding application areas. These include medical device components like orthopaedic and dental implants, various cutting tools, ball bearings, and ballistic and armour protection, where ATZ and ZTA ceramics are already utilised. Emile Zürcher, Proprietor and CEO of Zürcher Frères SA, highlighted his company’s long-standing tradition of innovation in materials manufacture, expressing pride in the industry-leading alumina-zirconia ceramics achieved through this collaboration. The global demand for ZTA and ATZ ceramics is estimated at approximately 3,000 tonnes per annum, indicating a considerable market opportunity for the enhanced materials.
