The tabular alumina market in China is experiencing steady growth in 2025, driven by rising demand from high-temperature and high-performance industrial sectors. Tabular alumina, a high-purity sintered material made from calcined alumina, features a distinct flake-like structure with excellent thermal stability, mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance. These properties make it an essential material in applications such as refractory linings, kiln furniture, ceramic composites, and abrasives. As China continues to expand its steel, cement, and ceramics industries, the demand for reliable, high-quality tabular alumina is expected to increase significantly.
For a deeper understanding of tabular alumina's material structure and thermal performance, refer to ScienceDirect’s overview.
Thanks to these properties, tabular alumina is widely used in many industries, including:
Refractory materials – for making bricks that can resist high temperatures
Toughening additives – added to ceramics to improve strength
Pearlescent pigments – used in cosmetics and coatings for shimmer effects
Polishing materials – for semiconductor wafers and lenses
Filler materials – to improve performance in plastics or rubbers
Tabular Alumina Market Growth in China
In recent years, the demand for alumina products has increased rapidly in China. By 2024, the Chinese tabular alumina market reached nearly RMB 250 billion, growing more than 10% year over year.
According to ResearchAndMarkets, China is one of the fastest-growing regions for high-purity alumina and tabular alumina due to industrial expansion and technology upgrades.
Alumina products can be classified into spherical alumina, near-spherical alumina, and tabular alumina. Compared to spherical alumina, tabular alumina has better thermal conductivity. However, it is harder to shape and has lower flexibility, which limits its use in some areas. These limitations present key challenges to the industry’s future growth.
Common Manufacturing Methods
Tabular alumina can be made using several methods, including:
Mechanical method: A traditional process that grinds alumina to form tabular shapes. It’s simple and cost-effective, but mainly suitable for mid-to-low-grade products.
Sol-gel and molten salt combination: A modern technique that offers better control and higher product quality. It is ideal for large-scale, continuous production.
Other methods include hydrothermal, molten salt, film-coating, and liquid-phase synthesis.
Technical details about sol-gel processes in ceramic engineering can be found on Ceramic World Web, a resource for global ceramic technology trends.
Real-World Applications
A report from Xinsijie Industry Research Center highlights that tabular alumina has many end uses:
In refractory materials, it is used to make heat- and wear-resistant bricks.
As a toughening material, it enhances strength when added to ceramics.
In polishing applications, it is widely used in wafer production and optical polishing.
For industrial usage examples, refer to case studies by Almatis, one of the global leaders in alumina-based materials.
Leading Producers in China
Key tabular alumina market manufacturers in China include:
Linyi Banlan New Materials Co., Ltd.
Henan Jiama New Materials Co., Ltd.
Bohuas Nano Technology (Ningbo) Co., Ltd.
Henan SICHENG Abrasives Tech Co., Ltd.
Danyang Zhongyan Grinding Materials Co., Ltd.
SICHENG, for example, focuses on abrasives, refractory materials, and casting materials. Its tabular alumina is already being used in semiconductor wafer manufacturing.
Future Outlook and Industry Challenges
Experts believe that as downstream industries continue to grow, the demand for tabular alumina will increase. However, the industry in China still faces challenges such as limited high-end production capabilities and difficulties in forming and shaping the material.
To stay competitive in the evolving tabular alumina market, local manufacturers and research institutions must increase their investment in R&D. Advancing production technologies and enhancing product quality will be critical steps toward capturing a larger share of the high-purity tabular alumina segment in both domestic and international markets.
