With the rapid development of high-end ceramics, electronic packaging, metal smelting and the new energy vehicle industry, the importance of silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) powder as a key basic material has continued to rise. Its high strength, high thermal shock resistance, excellent insulation and chemical stability make it one of the competitive focuses in the global advanced manufacturing field.

The annual industry scale of silicon nitride powder for mid-to-high-end ceramics worldwide is estimated to be around 10,000 tons. Currently, the supply pattern of silicon nitride powder in the international market is relatively concentrated, and the following five international manufacturers have a high influence in the global market.

1、Japan Ube

An industry-leading benchmark, this company exclusively uses amide-impregnated pyrolysis method to produce silicon nitride powder. Its flagship product, SN - E10, has an α-phase content exceeding 95%, with uniform particle size and high purity. The product is suitable for multiple fields such as automobiles, aerospace, and electronics, and can be used to manufacture key components such as turbocharger rotors and ceramic bearings. In 2023, the company announced the expansion of its production line, and it will be put into operation in the second half of the fiscal year 2025. At that time, the production capacity will increase to 1.5 times the current level to meet the growing demand for components related to new energy vehicles.

2、Denka (Japan)

The core representative manufacturer of the silicon powder nitridation method. The α phase content of its nitride silicon powder SN - 9FWS reaches 91%, with low impurity content and a particle size of only 0.7 μm. It is one of the few enterprises in the world that can produce EUV-grade nitride silicon powder in large quantities. The product can meet the strict requirements for trace impurities in high-end fields such as semiconductors, and is also suitable for the production of conventional high-performance ceramic components such as ceramic substrates and bearing balls.

3、Germany's Starck (now Höganäs)

A leader in specialized niche fields, this company achieves controllable synthesis of nanoscale powders through plasma radio frequency synthesis technology. The product's carbon strength is strictly controlled. Each batch of its EUV-level silicon nitride powder comes with a digital passport containing data such as synthesis parameters and aging test curves, which is compatible with advanced equipment like ASML lithography machines. It also deeply penetrates the market through setting up a technology center in China and conducting patent licensing cooperation, and holds strong pricing power in the nuclear-grade and optical-grade silicon nitride powder sectors.

4、Germany Alzchem

With the silicon powder nitridation process as the core technology, the main product Silzot - HQ has an α phase content exceeding 86%, an oxygen content lower than 0.6%, and a particle size smaller than 1.9 μm. The purity advantage is remarkable. The Silzot series of products are suitable for multiple high-tech fields such as automobiles, aerospace, and electronics. They can not only meet the production needs of mechanical components like bearings and cutting tools, but also provide ultra-pure nitrided silicon nitride raw materials for the solar energy and electronics industries.

5、Sweden - Vesta

Relying on the industrial resources of the renowned bearing company SKF, it focuses on the supply of silicon nitride powder and metallic silicon powder raw materials. Its core products are suitable for the manufacturing of hybrid ceramic bearings. In 2024, SKF invested in expanding production at its Ljungaverk factory in Sweden, aiming to increase the silicon nitride production capacity by more than twice. This closely aligns with the growing demand for ceramic bearings in areas such as automotive electrification. The synergy advantages in the industrial and automotive-specific silicon nitride powder sector are particularly prominent.

The advantages of the self-propagating silicon nitride powder produced by Jiangxi Silicon Nitride New Materials Co., Ltd. lie in its purity, cost, adaptability and quality stability. The self-propagating powder has high purity, self-purification and strong sintering activity. The raw materials used are high-purity silicon powder and liquid nitrogen, and a full-process multi-level purification and purification process is adopted, which can reduce the introduction of impurities during the self-propagating process. The powder purity can reach the photovoltaic grade of ≥ 99.99%. Moreover, the self-propagating high-temperature synthesized powder has a high surface energy and outstanding sintering activity, which can adapt to the efficient advancement of subsequent ceramic sintering and other processing steps. 

Adapt to various field application requirements: Relying on the company's all-round industrial layout, this self-propagating powder can be used for the production of high-end structural components such as silicon nitride bearing balls and ball valves. It is suitable for multiple fields including new energy vehicles, high-speed rail trains, and wind power generation. Moreover, the R&D team can adjust the process according to different customer's application scenarios and provide customized technical solutions based on their 15 years of industry experience. 

There are multiple guarantees for the stable quality: The company has not only obtained numerous authoritative certifications such as IATF16949 and ISO 9001, but also holds relevant invention patents and national standards. It has jointly established a research center with Hunan University of Technology. Through optimizing parameters such as raw material ratio and nitrogen pressure control, it can solve the common stability problems of the self-propagating process products, ensuring that the performance of powder batches varies little.