Transparent Ceramics Market Expected to Reach $2.0 Billion by 2030—Allied Market Research

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research titled, “Transparent Ceramics Market by Type, Material, and Application: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021–2030,” the global transparent ceramics market size was valued at $0.4 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach $2.0 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 19.0% from 2021 to 2030.

Transparent ceramics are used as an alternative to traditional glass due to their enhanced mechanical properties. Applications such as defense and energy need more specific and robust material that can sustain the harsh and hostile environment. Transparent ceramics serve the purpose as they can be strategically engineered to enhance the properties they offer. The aerospace industry uses transparent ceramic materials that can sustain high temperatures and extreme pressure. Chemical and mechanical industries utilize transparent ceramic materials that are corrosion resistant and mechanically tough, respectively. The use of transparent ceramics in the healthcare industry is mainly for dental brackets, bioactive bone replacements, laser surgeries, and others. Household and consumer goods utilize transparent ceramics for making cooktops, cutleries, display windows, and others.

Transparent ceramics are being used in making hemispherical as well as aerodynamic domes for laser-guided missile systems. Windows made from sapphire are used as it is a strong, scratch-resistant, and durable material as well as it is well sensitive to UV, IR, and mid-IR range wavelengths. The Lookdown window for aircraft is not scratch-resistant and needs to remain transparent throughout the time of flight irrespective of environmental factors. Transparent ceramics are excellent in scratch-resistance and can sustain more rigorous conditions as compared to glass; thereby, it is expected that the demand for transparent ceramics is anticipated to grow rapidly during the forecast period.

Armors that contain transparent ceramics can sustain a heavy impact from bullets and can protect the person from potential threats and minimize the damage. Windows of military-used vehicles are also made from transparent ceramics such as sapphire and spinel to protect the persons inside from LED’s and bullets. LASER-guided missiles and bombs use LASER beams to increase precision by targeting a specific area or object. The defense industry utilizes huge investments for innovations and the development of advanced ceramics to specifically engineer them and to be utilized in various areas in the defense field. This is expected to boost the demand for transparent ceramics during the forecast period. However, high production cost of transparent ceramics may hinder the growth of the market over the forecast period. However transparent ceramics market is expected to show lucrative growth in the near future as its demand has increased rapidly from various end-use industries such as optics & optoelectronics, aerospace, defense & security and, mechanical/chemical, sensors & instrumentation and it is used as a substitute of glass and metals.

The transparent ceramics market is categorized on the basis of type, material, end-use, and region. By type, the monocrystalline ceramics segment accounted for a market share of 42.9% in 2020 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 18.0% over the forecast period. Monocrystalline transparent ceramics are used in LASER’s and forming a substrate in electronic components. Solid-state lasers use YAG or Sapphire monocrystals as a gain medium to reach the desired energy levels. R&D activities in solid-state lasers to be used in various applications such as fiber-optic communication, laser printers, and skin treatments are expected to boost the demand for monocrystalline ceramics.

By material, the sapphire segment dominated the global transparent ceramics market with a share of 25.0% in 2020. Sapphire is widely used to make sapphire glass, a more robust and better scratch-resistant material, to be used as an alternative for other optical materials or conventional glass for windows. The increased concern about the safety of defense personnel and VIPs is expected to replace conventional glass with sapphire glass. Thereby increasing the demand for sapphire.

By end-use, the optics & optoelectronics segment dominated the global transparent ceramics market with a share of 25.2% in 2020. Transparent ceramic materials are mainly used for their high transmission of incident light and better mechanical properties as compared to traditionally used glass.

By region, the North America dominated the global transparent ceramics market with a share of 32.4% in 2020. Asia Pacific is expected to be fastest growing region over the forecast period. Various manufacturers of transparent ceramics have invested in emerging economies such as India, Japan, and China, and launched various products using transparent ceramics, which help to increase the awareness of the product.

The key players operating in the global transparent ceramics market include American Elements, CeramTec GmbH, CeraNova, CoorsTek Inc., General Electric, Konoshima Chemical Co.Ltd, Kyocera Corporation, Saint-Gobain, Schott AG, and Surmet Corporation.

Findings Of Study

• By type, monocrystalline transparent ceramics is anticipated to be the leading and the fastest-growing segment in terms of value, growing at a CAGR of 18.0%, throughout 2021–2030.
• By material, the sapphire segment leads the market with a market share of 25.0% in 2020. This segment is expected to show lucrative growth over the forecast period.
• By end-use, the optics & optoelectronics segment emerged as the global leader by acquiring around 25.2% market share in 2020 in terms of revenue and is anticipated to show a significant growth rate over the forecast period.
• Region-wise, North America is the major consumer of transparent ceramics among other regions. It accounted for around 32.4% of the global transparent ceramics market share in 2020 and Asia-Pacific is expected to witness a lucrative growth rate over the forecast period.

COVID-19 Impact on Market

• During the COVID-19 pandemic, the transparent ceramics industry was impacted in terms of distribution and logistics due to lockdown across the globe. Transparent ceramics production and distribution came to a halt because of the economic downturn due to the pandemic.
• The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the aerospace, instrumentation, and consumer goods industries, resulting in reduced usage of transparent ceramics in these industries.
• The global COVID-19 pandemic hindered inter-country activity and import & export of transparent ceramics due to varied economic and legal limitations globally. As a result, the transparent ceramics market impacted moderately in 2020. However, by the beginning of 2021, all the industries started their operation due to which the demand for transparent ceramics improved aerospace, instrumentation, and consumer goods industries.