Transparent Ceramics Market - Forecast (2022 - 2027)

The transparent Ceramics Market size is forecast to reach $717.6 million by 2027, after growing at a CAGR of 18.9% during 2022-2027. Transparent ceramic is produced from the silica-based glass through a crystallization process and is used in various forms as optically transparent materials such as in components of aerospace which includes advanced optical domes, conformal optical domes, and advanced antennas, as they provide high strength, stiffness, and chemical and heat resistance. Globally, the advancement of efficient and advanced technology, growing demand from various application industries as a replacement for traditional glass technologies, increasing emphasis on the deployment of laser & cutting devices, and increasing defense spending on advanced materials and technologies are expected to drive the growth of the transparent ceramics industry in the forecast period.

Transparent Ceramics Market Report Coverage

The: “Transparent Ceramics Market Report - Forecast (2022-2027)” covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the transparent ceramics industry.

• By Type: Monocrystalline Transparent Ceramics, Polycrystalline Transparent Ceramics, Transparent Glass-Ceramics, and Others
• By Material: Sapphire, Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG), Aluminum Oxynitride, Spinel, and Others
• By End Use: Optics & Optoelectronics, Aerospace & Defence Security, Sensor & Instrumentation, Mechanical/Chemical Industry, Healthcare Industry, Consumer Goods, Energy and Power, and Others
• By Geography: North America, South America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East & Africa

Key Takeaways

• APAC dominates the transparent ceramics market due to the advancements in nanotechnology, and the increase in the adoption of transparent ceramics for application in new industrial verticals, and emerging economies in this region.
• Factors such as increased demand for these ceramics in various applications, increased use of transparent ceramics as substitutes for metals and plastics, eco-friendliness and durability of these ceramics drive the global transparent ceramics market.
• The key constraints for the transparent ceramics market are higher costs of transparent ceramics compared to conventional ones.
• Owing to the lockdowns to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak, industries are being shuttered all around the globe, which has badly impacted the global supply chain and world economy. Hence, demand is declining from various industry verticals will hamper the growth of the transparent ceramics market in 2020-2021.

Transparent Ceramics Market Segment Analysis - By Type

Monocrystalline Transparent Ceramics is widely used in the transparent ceramics market. The demand for monocrystalline transparent ceramics is growing as a replacement for conventional glass due to its superior mechanical properties through various applications. Monocrystalline transparent ceramic provides various advantages such as reduced optical loss, increased durability and reliability, making it a valuable commodity for protection, automotive, electrical, and electronic applications. Besides, the increasing investment by the defense industry to develop advanced materials and equipment and related technologies including ballistic-protecting armor and windows, face-shield and night vision goggles further propels the monocrystalline transparent ceramics market growth during the forecast period.

Transparent Ceramics Market Segment Analysis - By Material

Sapphire held the largest share in the transparent ceramics market in 2019. Sapphire (single crystal aluminium oxide) is mainly used where traditional glass and technological ceramics cannot meet the particular applications' high requirements for clarity. In the numerous applications, Sapphire is also widely used including optoelectronics, oil, aerospace, and protection for defence. Also, due to its high dielectric and mechanical strength, high electrical resistance, and high ultraviolet and infrared optical characteristics, sapphire is used commonly in cutting tools and laser applications. Thus, due to such alluring properties, the demand for sapphire material is estimated to rise over the forecast period.

Transparent Ceramics Market Segment Analysis - By Application

Optics & optoelectronics held the largest share in the transparent ceramics market in 2019 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.8% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Transparent ceramics have higher thermal resistance and are thicker and tougher than glass or resin. They can be formed better positioned and more effective than single crystals. Owing to which it is highly preferred in optics & optoelectronics. Most ceramic materials, both glassy and crystalline, have been found to be used in various ways as optically transparent materials, from bulk solid-state components to high surface structures such as thin film, coatings, and fibers. These devices have found widespread use in various electro-optical applications such as optical fibers for guided light wave propagation, optical switches, laser amplifiers and lenses, host for solid-state lasers, and optical window materials for gas lasers.

Transparent Ceramics Market Segment Analysis - By Geography

Asia Pacific held the largest share with 38.5% in the transparent ceramics market. Due to the rise in terrorism and the need to conquer the region, expenditure has increased in recent years. China fell behind the United States in terms of spending on defense. Rising security threats are expected to increase national defense spending which, in effect, positively impacts the market direction over the forecast period. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, the Indian government also declared in its interim budget an increase over INR 3 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2019-2020. Also, the country has planned to produce 200 helicopters with Russian collaboration to strengthen and diversify its strategic relations to improve India's defense efficiency. Consequently, with the increasing demand and government intervention in various sectors in the region, demand for transparent ceramics will increase over the forecast period.

Transparent Ceramics Market Drivers

Rising demand for transparent ceramics from the aerospace and defense sector

Currently, transparent ceramics are widely used in the fields of aerospace, military vehicles, and defense. Properties, such as high strength, rigidity, chemical and heat resistance, etc., make these ceramics suitable for use in the protection and safety sectors. Transparent ceramics are lighter than most metals and stable over high-grade advanced plastics at temperatures slightly above. These and other properties mean that structural ceramic applications include thermal protection systems in rocket exhaust cones, space shuttle insulation sheets, missile nose cones, and engine components. Sapphire is the most commonly used ceramic material in the aerospace sector due to its properties, such as abrasion resistance, high operating temperature, and high strength, including the advanced optical dome, transparent armor, and conformal optical windows. Increasing demand and new aircraft production in the sector will likely drive the market growth. The defense and security industry are rising, owing to the worldwide need for security.

Increasing use of monocrystalline transparent ceramics in the medical industry worldwide

The properties of monocrystalline transparent ceramics include thermal expansion resistance, high humidity resistance, flexibility, excellent high-temperature electrical resistivity, and weathering conditions, making it extensively useful for various medical applications such as surgical tools, later capsular opacification, dental restoration, thermographic imaging, and medical imaging machines. The use of monocrystalline transparent ceramic material often provides various advantages in terms of consistency, protection, and visibility. According to the Government of India, the Indian market for medical tourism is growing at 18% and is expected to reach $9 billion by 2020. Also, India's government aims to invest 3 percent of GDP in the healthcare sector by 2022 along with the country also focusing on opening up the number of medical colleges across the nation. Hence the growth in the medical sector will contribute towards the growth of monocrystalline transparent ceramics which is further anticipated to drive the market during the forecast period.

Transparent Ceramics Market Challenges

High cost and selection of the proper material composition of transparent ceramics

The high cost of transparent ceramics is likely to restrain the market shortly. Transparent ceramics are costlier than metals and alloys. Furthermore, the high prices of raw materials increase the price of these ceramics, thereby raising the prices of finished goods. Thus, the end-use industries are forced to seek low-cost replacements for these raw materials. Also, choosing a suitable material composition is one of the most difficult factors in undermining the optical uniformity of the ceramic body and inducing light dispersion. Hence, the highly skilled operators are expected to choose a proper material composition to preserve end product quality such as the monocrystalline transparent ceramics crystal with thin, better light matching, no inclusion and porosity, and dislocation. The availability of polycrystalline transparent ceramics as an alternative commodity, however, acts as a limiting factor for the growth of the market for transparent ceramics.

Transparent Ceramics Market Landscape

Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the transparent ceramics market. In 2019, the market of transparent ceramics market has been consolidated by the top five players accounting for xx% of the share. Major players in the transparent ceramics market are CeramTec, 3M, II-VI Optical Systems, Saint-Gobain Ceramic Materials, Kyocera Corporation, SCHOTT AG, Surmet Corporation, Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd, Rauschert GmbH, McDanel Advanced Ceramic Technologie, CoorsTek Inc. among others.

Acquisitions/Technology Launches

• In August 2017, II-VI Optical Systems acquired Kaiam Laser Limited, Inc. Currently the latter operates as II-VI Compound Semiconductor Ltd. under the business division of former II-VI Laser Solutions.

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