Zirconium Oxide is widely used and has superior high temperature properties. When combined with compounds of yttria, strength and fracture toughness can be significantly increased. This makes some grades of Zirconia superior to most materials for abrasion and wear resistance, brittleness, and thermal shock resistance. Zirconia is electrical conductive above 900 °C.

Zirconia engineered ceramic parts can be formed by single axis pressing, isostatic pressing, injection molding, slip casting, or extrusion. Parts can "green machined" to near net size before firing and then "hard" ground using diamond tooling to tolerances less than 0.0002" (0.005 mm). Special grades of Zirconia can be metallized and/or brazed to metal parts. Although the final properties of Alumina ceramics will be determined by the manufacturing method, they generally will have the following properties: