SDK Completes Expansion of Capacity for Titanium Oxide Nanoparticles

November 09, 2018
Showa Denko K.K.

Showa Denko (SDK) (TOKYO:4004) has completed expansion of the capacity to produce nanoparticle titanium oxide, which has been sold under the trade name of Super-TitaniaTM, at its wholly owned subsidiary Showa Denko Ceramics Co., Ltd. headquartered in Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture. Super-TitaniaTM is used in the production of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs).

Among varieties of capacitors, MLCCs are installed especially in many information devices including smartphones and feature-phones which require downsizing and weight saving, and in digital home appliances including flat-screen TVs. The market for MLCCs has been growing 10% a year, and facilities of MLCC manufacturers have been operating at full capacity due to the increase in demand for these electronic devices.

This time, at the Toyama Plant of Showa Denko Ceramics, SDK added one production line to produce Super-TitaniaTM to be used in the production of MLCCs, aiming to respond to the growing demand for Super-TitaniaTM and maintain stable supply of high quality product. The capacity of the Showa Denko Group to produce Super-TitaniaTM will increase 30% in and after January 2019.

Barium titanate (BaTiO3) made from titanium oxide (TiO2) is used as a dielectric※1 which composes a part of basic structure of MLCC. In addition, downsizing and increase in electrical capacitance of MLCC requires high-purity nanoparticle barium titanate. There are two methods to synthesize barium titanate, namely, solid-phase method and liquid-phase method※2. Synthesis of barium titanate with solid-phase method, which can produce barium titanate with high dielectric property at relatively lower costs, requires ultrafine-particle titanium oxide. Super-TitaniaTM, nanoparticle titanium oxide manufactured and sold by the Showa Denko Group, is produced with leading-edge process control technology to have particle diameter of 15 to 250 nanometer (1 nanometer = one millionth millimeter) and high purity. Thus Super-TitaniaTM contributes to manufacture of smaller MLCCs with higher electrical capacitance.

Super-TitaniaTM can be used not only as raw material for manufacturing of MLCCs but also as an ingredient of various filling materials and for other services. The Showa Denko Group will continue to meet customer requirements, stably supply high-quality products, and establish leading positions on the market.

  • ※1 Dielectric: A dielectric is an insulator which can accumulate electricity and discharge it in an instant. Higher dielectric property leads to higher electrical capacitance.
  • ※2 Solid-phase method and liquid-phase method: These are methods to produce fine ceramics including barium titanate. Under solid-phase method, raw materials are mixed up, react with each other when calcined at a high temperature, and come into compounds. Under liquid-phase method, raw materials are dissolved in solvent, react with each other in the solution, and come into compounds after calcination at a low temperature.

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