Research Information System
INDUSTRIAL CERAMICS, vol.22, no.2, pp.115-120, 2002 (SCI-Expanded)
Advanced ceramic components are frequently obtained by machining blanks formed by cold isostatic pressing (CP) or hot isostatic pressing (HIP); these procedures are time consuming and costly. In the present study a slip casting technique was used to produce sound, intricate and defect-free bodies. The effect of processing parameters, namely solid content, dispersing agent concentration, slip viscosity and milling time on slip casting of ZrO2-Al2O3 composites containing 20 to 60 wt% Al2O3 were investigating and optimum values for the above were determined. The effect of shaping process on sintering behaviour was also investigated for slip-cast and die-pressed specimens. The results showed that ceramic powders used were castable under limited conditions and specimen processed by slip-casting had a faster sintering rate and lower sintering temperatures, compared to die-pressed specimen. The reason for better sintering was due to the homogeneous dispersion of the powder and examination of agglomerates in slip-cast specimen, compared to die-pressed specimen in which agglomeration caused non-homogeneous sintering leaving crack-like voids.