Electrical Porcelain
ISO IEC 60672 Type C-110
Electrical Porcelain is a traditional feldspar/kaolin-based fired silicate ceramic classified under ANSI C29.1, with C-110 through C-140 wet-process and C-410 through C-440 dry-process grades.
Reference datasheet — Electrical Porcelain is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the C-110 condition
Electrical Porcelain tempers and conditions
Electrical Porcelain is supplied in 10 conditions, soft to hard. C-110 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 10 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dry-pressed siliceous porcelain | Same body as C-110 but dry-pressed for small high-volume parts (fuse bodies, spacers); slightly lower strength and dielectric strength. | 600 HV | 1 W/m·K | |||
Lithia (spodumene) porcelain, low expansion | Very low CTE body for thermal-shock-prone insulation (heater terminals, burner and igniter parts). | 600 HV | 1 W/m·K | |||
C-110Default Plastic-processed siliceous porcelain | Standard low-cost line-insulator and bushing porcelain; pick for general HV insulation where strength demands are modest. | 620 HV | 1 W/m·K | |||
Plastic-processed cristobalite porcelain | Cristobalite-converted siliceous body with higher expansion for stronger glaze compression; used for larger plastic-formed insulator shapes. | 620 HV | 1 W/m·K | |||
Dense lime-based (anorthite) porcelain | Lime/anorthite low-loss body used for medium-frequency insulation and vacuum-tight electrical parts. | 640 HV | 2 W/m·K | |||
Dense cordierite porcelain | Low-expansion cordierite body for thermal-shock service (heater supports, arc chambers) with good dielectric loss. | 650 HV | 3 W/m·K | |||
Dense celsian (barium-feldspar) porcelain | Low-loss, low-expansion celsian body for HF/RF insulation and components needing stable permittivity. | 650 HV | 2 W/m·K | |||
Regular aluminous porcelain | Alumina-strengthened porcelain for medium-duty suspension insulators and switchgear parts needing ~2× the strength of C-110. | 700 HV | 2 W/m·K | |||
High-strength aluminous porcelain | Highest-alumina porcelain body; pick for mechanically loaded long-rod insulators, large bushings and cap-and-pin hardware. | 800 HV | 2 W/m·K | |||
Dense zircon-based porcelain | Zircon (ZrSiO₄)-bonded body giving the highest strength, density and lowest loss of the porcelain family; used for HV bushings, vacuum-tight and high-frequency parts. | 820 HV | 3 W/m·K |
What is Electrical Porcelain?
Electrical Porcelain is a traditional feldspar/kaolin-based fired silicate ceramic classified under ANSI C29.1, with C-110 through C-140 wet-process and C-410 through C-440 dry-process grades. It is the low-cost default for electrical insulation and general engineering porcelain parts, supplied as pressed, extruded, jiggered or slip-cast shapes such as insulators, bushings and spark plug bodies. Properties are moderate: 2.35 g/cm³ density, 70 GPa elastic modulus, 1.2 W/m·K thermal conductivity, service to 1000 °C and a corrosion resistance score of 88. Fired parts are hard to machine (score 8) and hold only as-fired tolerances, so alumina or steatite is preferred where tighter dimensions or higher strength are required. Electrical Porcelain has a density of 2.35 g/cm³ (0.0849 lb/in³), lighter than 84% of ceramic grades. It melts at 1,550°C (2,822 °F). Electrical Porcelain has a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi), weaker than 77% of ceramic grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 70 GPa (10.2 Msi).
What is Electrical Porcelain used for?
- insulators
- spark plug bodies
- electrical bushings
- lab crucibles
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 1.5 kg CO₂/kg, better than 97% of ceramic grades
- Lightweight — 2.35 g/cm³ (0.0849 lb/in³), better than 84% of ceramic grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 88/100, better than 77% of ceramic grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 1.2 W/m·K (0.693 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 97% of ceramic grades
- Low stiffness — 70 GPa (10.2 Msi), worse than 79% of ceramic grades
Electrical Porcelain properties
Typical room-temperature values for Electrical Porcelain-C-110; bars are the position among ceramic grades.
Physical3
Electrical Porcelain has a density of 2.35 g/cm³ (0.0849 lb/in³), lighter than 84% of ceramic grades. It melts at 1,550°C (2,822 °F).
Mechanical12
Electrical Porcelain has a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi), weaker than 77% of ceramic grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 70 GPa (10.2 Msi).
Thermal5
Electrical Porcelain is rated for continuous service to 1,000°C (1,832 °F). It conducts heat at 1.2 W/m·K (0.693 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 97% of ceramic grades. Thermal expansion is 5.5 µm/m·K (3.06 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
Electrical Porcelain is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 20 kV/mm (508 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹¹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is excellent (88/100), better than 77% of ceramic grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Electrical Porcelain takes about 20 MJ of energy and emits 1.5 kg of CO₂ — less than 98% of ceramic grades. Typical recycled content is 8%.
Manufacturability3
Electrical Porcelain's machinability is not recommended (8/100, better than 69% of ceramic grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the ceramic family
Yield strength against density for every ceramic grade FabDigit runs. Electrical Porcelain is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Electrical Porcelain
Is Electrical Porcelain easy to machine?
Machine in the green or bisque state with carbide tooling; after firing only diamond grinding, lapping or laser/ultrasonic drilling is practical, allowing ~±0.1 mm as-fired shrinkage tolerance.
Can Electrical Porcelain be welded?
Not weldable; join by glass frit sealing, ceramic-to-metal Mo–Mn metallizing plus brazing, cementing (Portland/sulfur cement in insulator caps) or mechanical clamping with resilient gaskets.
Can Electrical Porcelain be formed, bent or molded?
Wet plastic forming (extrusion, jiggering, turning of pugged clay) for C-110/C-112, dry-pressing of spray-dried granulate for C-111, slip casting for hollow shapes; fire 1200–1320 °C with ~12–15 % linear shrinkage.
Electrical Porcelain chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| SiO2from quartz + clay + feldspar (siliceous C-110 body) | 62 – 75 | 69 |
| Al2O3raised to 30–50 % in aluminous C-120/C-130 bodies | 18 – 30 | 24 |
| K2Ofeldspar flux | 2 – 5 | 3.5 |
| Na2Ofeldspar flux | 0.3 – 2 | 1 |
| CaOhigher in lime-based C-430 | 0.2 – 1.5 | 0.6 |
| MgOmajor constituent in cordierite C-410 | 0.1 – 1 | 0.4 |
| Fe2O3colouring impurity, kept low for white bodies | 0.1 – 1 | 0.5 |
| TiO2clay impurity | 0 – 0.5 | 0.2 |
| loss on ignition / residualbalance after firing | balance |
What surface finishes work on Electrical Porcelain?
Glazing (usually brown/grey/white feldspathic glaze) fired on for surface sealing, tracking and pollution-flashover resistance; unglazed faces can be diamond-lapped or metallized for electrode contact.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Electrical Porcelain in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ISO
- IEC 60672 Type C-110
- Similar grades
- ANSI C29.1
How much does Electrical Porcelain cost?
Electrical Porcelain is a standard-cost ceramic ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Electrical Porcelain — frequently asked
What is Electrical Porcelain used for?
Electrical Porcelain is typically used for insulators, spark plug bodies, electrical bushings and lab crucibles. In short: lowest-cost insulating ceramic; standardised ANSI C29.1 grades; as-fired tolerances only.
What is the tensile strength of Electrical Porcelain?
Electrical Porcelain has a typical tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) — weaker than 77% of ceramic grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 10 listed tempers.
Is Electrical Porcelain easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (8/100, better than 69% of ceramic grades). Machine in the green or bisque state with carbide tooling; after firing only diamond grinding, lapping or laser/ultrasonic drilling is practical, allowing ~±0.1 mm as-fired shrinkage tolerance.
Can Electrical Porcelain be welded?
Not weldable; join by glass frit sealing, ceramic-to-metal Mo–Mn metallizing plus brazing, cementing (Portland/sulfur cement in insulator caps) or mechanical clamping with resilient gaskets.
What surface finishes work on Electrical Porcelain?
Glazing (usually brown/grey/white feldspathic glaze) fired on for surface sealing, tracking and pollution-flashover resistance; unglazed faces can be diamond-lapped or metallized for electrode contact.
Can Electrical Porcelain be formed, bent or molded?
Wet plastic forming (extrusion, jiggering, turning of pugged clay) for C-110/C-112, dry-pressing of spray-dried granulate for C-111, slip casting for hollow shapes; fire 1200–1320 °C with ~12–15 % linear shrinkage.
What is the maximum service temperature of Electrical Porcelain?
Electrical Porcelain is rated for continuous use to about 1,000°C (1,832 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Electrical Porcelain cost?
Electrical Porcelain is a standard-cost ceramic ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- IEC 60672-3 Ceramic and glass insulating materials — Part 3: Specifications for individual materials — IEC (1997)
- IEC 60672-2 Ceramic and glass insulating materials — Methods of test — IEC (1999)
- ANSI C29.1 Test Methods for Electrical Power Insulators — ANSI/NEMA (2018)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 4: Ceramics and Glasses — ASM International (1991)
- Technical ceramics — silicate ceramics (porcelain, steatite, cordierite) data — CeramTec / Morgan Advanced Materials (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.