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MACOR®

Machinable Glass Ceramic (MGC)

Special Properties of MACOR®

  • Machinable with standard HSS metalworking tools
  • Highly temperature-resistant
  • Non-porous
  • Dimensionally stable
  • Does not outgas
  • Odorless, opaque, white material
  • Excellent electrical insulator
  • The coefficient of thermal expansion is close to that of many metals and sealing glasses
  • Available as semifinished bars, rods, and sheets
  • Radiation resistant
  • No post-firing required

Typical Applications

  • High-precision workpieces
  • Contact holders, sockets, bushings, and feedthroughs
  • Aerospace applications
  • Equipment for field ion microscopes
  • Ultra-high vacuum and continuous vacuum applications
  • Medical devices
  • Laser cavity components
  • Insulators for electronic connectors
  • Semiconductors and electronics
  • Nuclear research
  • Welding nozzles
  • Bushing tubes
  • Mounting brackets
  • Laser alignment components

Related Ceramic Materials

  • SHAPAL™ Hi M-soft
    (Aluminum nitride ceramic)
  • Al2O3
    (Alumina high-performance ceramic)

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What is MACOR®?

MACOR® is a machinable glass ceramic (MGC) made by CORNING. It is a white, odorless, and opaque material comprising 55% MIKA and 45% borosilicate glass. The high-performance Small machined parts made of MACOR® from CORNING material has ideal properties for a wide range of industrial applications. MACOR® can be used to design and produce complex-shaped and precise parts with tight tolerances. It can be CNC-machined with conventional HSS tools commonly used for machining metal. As a result, no expensive special equipment, machinery, or diamond tools are required to process MACOR®.

 

Finished MACOR® part with complex details
Figure: A finished part with tight tolerances made of MACOR® MGC

 

What is so special about MACOR®?

MACOR® can be used at temperatures of up to 800°C for long periods and withstands up to 1000°C without load. It has zero porosity and is non-wetting. MACOR® does not deform or outgas, so it can also be used in vacuum environments. It does not require post-firing. Moreover, the glass ceramic is an excellent insulator for high voltages at various frequencies, as it provides low conductivity. MACOR® MGC sets an industrial standard for machinable ceramic. It is ideal for multiple aerospace, medical, and semiconductor applications.

 

Very small MACOR® workpieces MACOR® allows the design of such tiny and intricate parts with high precision.

 

To get a quote for MACOR® glass ceramic material or a finished part with custom shape and dimensions according to your drawing, please click the button below:

 

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Specifications, Properties,
and Raw Materials

 

Semifinished MACOR® materials

We stock MACOR® sheets, rods, and bars with short lead times. These are the starting points for complex-shaped parts. Please see below for all available standard dimensions:

Rods
Rod-ø
(mm)		 Lengths
(mm)
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 12.5 70
19 | 25 | 30 | 38 | 50 75 | 150 | 300
Get a quote for a MACOR rod

Bars
Size
(mm x mm)		 Lengths
(mm)
12.5 × 12.5


75 | 150 | 300
19 × 19
25 × 25
30 × 30
50 × 50
Get a quote for a MACOR bar

Sheets
Size
(mm x mm)		 Thicknesses
(mm)
75 × 75
12.5 | 19 | 25 | 30 | 50
150 × 150
300 × 300
Get a quote for a MACOR sheet

The materials above are typically available in one week or less. Larger dimensions may take a little longer.

 

MACOR® MGC Machining Guidelines

Density

  • 2.52 g/cm3

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion per °C

  • 74 × 10-7 (-200–25°C)
  • 93 × 10-7 (25–300°C)
  • 114 × 10-7 (25–600°C)
  • 126 × 10-7 (25–800°C)

Thermal Characteristics

  • Continuous operating temperature: 800°C
  • Max. operating temperature: 1000°C (no load)
  • Thermal Diffusivity: (25°C): 7.3 × 10-7 m2/s
  • Thermal Conductivity: (25°C): 1.46 W/m°C
  • Specific Heat (25°C): 0.79 KJ / kg°C

Mechanical Characteristics

  • Porosity: 0%
  • Young's Modulus: (25°C): 66.9 GPa
  • Poisson's Ratio: 0.29
  • Shear Modulus: (25°C): 25.5 GPa
  • Knoop Hardness: (100 g): 250
  • Modulus of Rupture: (25°C): 94 MPa
  • Compressive Strength: 345 MPa
  • Fracture Toughness: 1.53 MPa m0,5

Electrical Characteristics

  • Dielectric Constant: (25°C): 6.03 (1 kHz)
  • Dielectric Loss Tangent: (25°C): 4.7 x 10-3 (1 kHz)
  • Dielectric Strength: (25°C): 40 kV / mm
    (at 0.254 mm thickness)
  • Volume Resistivity: >1016 Ω-cm

 

Composition of MACOR® Glass Ceramic

Substance approximate weight
percentage
Silicon oxide (SiO2) 46
Magnesium oxide (MgO) 17
Alumina (Al2O3) 16
Potassium oxide (K2O) 10
Boron oxide (B2O3) 7
Fluorine (F) 4

Chemical Properties

Medium

pH

Time
(h)

Temp.
(°C)

Weight loss
(mg/cm2)
5% HCL
0.1
24 h
95°C
Approx. 100
0.002 N HNO3
2.8
24 h
95°C
Approx. 0.6
0.1 N NaHCO3
8.4
24 h
95°C
Approx. 0.3
0.02 N Na2CO3
10.9
6 h
95°C
Approx. 0.1
5% NaOH
13.2
6 h
95°C
Approx. 10
H2O (water)
7.6
24 h
95°C
Approx. 0.01
Components made of MACOR® glass ceramic

This picture shows precise workpieces made of original MACOR® glass ceramic material.

 

All details and specifications provided here are mean reference values and are not guaranteed. Also, please consider our "Notes on Specifications".

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Last update: August 12, 2024