Enhancing microstructural properties of alumina ceramics via binary sintering aids

Alumina ceramics are widely used in many fields such as cutting tools,laser shock materials,roadbed board and refractory.Herein,Al_(2)O_(3)ceramics are prepared by a low-cost pressureless sintering technology,using the binary sintering aids of MgO and SiO_(2).The effects of sintering temperature and the ratio of binary sintering aids on the mechanical properties and microstructure of Al_(2)O_(3)ceramics are investigated.A spinel second phase(MgAl_(2)O_(4))is found out by the analysis of the results of XRD and EDS when MgO and SiO_(2)are introduced in the samples.The optimum properties are found when MgO content is 20 wt.%based on the total sintering aids and the sintering temperature is 1550℃.The bending strength and the bulk density reach a maximum value of 314 MPa and 3.73 g/cm^(3),respectively.The addition of appropriate amount of SiO_(2)makes the formation of liquid phase sintering and the removal of large pores.Meanwhile,a small amount of magnesium oxide doping has an effect on the grain refinement from the microstructure of the sample.Therefore,it is believed that MgO and SiO_(2)are the ideal sintering aids for promoting the densification and property of alumina ceramics.

Porous Alumina Ceramics Fabricated by Spark Plasma Sintering

Porous alumina of regular spherical particles was fabricated with the spark plasma sintering （SPS） and then compared to those obtained through conventional hot pressing （HP）. The effects of the parameters of the heating process on porosity were also investigated, Microstructural studies suggest that porous ingots including regular pores be made out of regular spherical alumina particles due to the close sphere packages. A comparative study on the relative necks of the specimens produced by SPS and HP indicates an enhancement of neck growth with SPS. Contrasting the theoretical values to the experimental results over the relative necks indicates that a proper relationship between the relative necks and the porosity can be established by a sintering model.

Modified-starch Consolidation of Alumina Ceramics

The alumina ceramics with the homogeneous microstructure and the higher density were fabricated via the modified-starch consolidation process by 1.0 wt% of a modified starch as a consolidator/ binder. The swelling behavior of the modified oxidized tapioca starch was analyzed by optical microscope, and two other corn starches （common corn starch and high amylose corn starch） were also analyzed for comparison. The modified starch used as a binder for the consolidation swelled at about 55 ℃, began to gelatinize at 65 ℃ and then was completely gelatinized at 75 ℃. But the corn starches could not be completely gelatinized even at 80 ℃ for 1 h. The high-strength green bodies （10.6 MPa） with the complex shapes were produced. The green bodies were sintered without any binder burnout procedure at 1 700 ℃ and a relative density of 95.3% was obtained for the sintered bodies, which is similar to that of the sintered sample formed by conventional slip casting. In addition, the effect of temperature on the apparent viscosity of the starch/alumina slurry in the process was investigated, and the corresponding mechanism for the starch consolidation was discussed.

RESEARCH ON MICROWAVE SINTERING ALUMINA CERAMICS

This paper introduces the characteristic of microwave sintering,introduces and analyses the process of microwave sintering of thealumina ceramics, moreover, compared with the experiments ofconventional sintering method. Based on the research, some resultsare obtained, and experimental basis for microwave sintering ofceramics is put forward.

Microstructure and properties of 3D-printed alumina ceramics with different heating rates in vacuum debinding

The effect of heating rates during vacuum debinding on the microstructure and mechanical properties of alumina ceramics are discussed in this paper.The threedimensional(3D)-printed alumina ceramics examined in this study were found to have a layered structure,and interlayer spacing increased as the heating rate increased The pore diameter,shrinkage,flexural strength and hardness were found to decrease as the heating rate increased due to weak interfacial bonding between alumina particles Shrinkage was found to be much larger along the Z direction than along the X or Y directions due to the layer-bylayer forming mode during 3D printing.0.5°C·min-1is considered the optimum heating rate,yielding ceramics with interlayer spacing of 0.65 lm,shrinkage of 2.6%2.3%and 4.0%along the X,Y and Z directions,respectively,flexural strength of 27.5 MPa,hardness of29.8 GPa,Vickers hardness of HV 266.5,pore diameter of356.8 nm,bulk density of 2.5 g·cm-3,and open porosity of38.4%.The debinding procedure used in this study could be used to produce a high-quality ceramic which can be used for fabricating alumina ceramic cores.

Optimal design on the high-temperature mechanical properties of porous alumina ceramics based on fractal dimension analysis

Fractal theory and regression analysis were employed for the first time to investigate the effect of pore size and pore distribution on high-temperature mechanical properties of porous alumina ceramics （PAC）. In the present work, PAC with the comparable porosity, different pore sizes and pore distributions were prepared using carbon black as the pore-forming agent. Particular emphasis in this study was placed on the establishment of correlation between the thermal shock resistance and pore properties. The relationship between fractal dimension （Df） and thermal shock resistance parameter （l？st） in specimens presented the negative power function, indicating that low Df could benefit the improvement of thermal shock resistance in specimens. The results showed that the increase of pore size and pore sphericity leads to a reduced Df, the enhanced hot modulus of rupture （HMOR） and Rst. The decrease of proportion of micro-pores below 2 μm, the increase of mean pore size and pore sphericity could result in the decrease of Dr, and then improve Rst and HMOR of specimens. Based on the correlation between Rst and pore characteristics, PAC with improved thermal shock resistance could be achieved when their pore structure meets the above features.

Influence of Alumina Addition on the Optical Property of Zirconia/Alumina Composite Dental Ceramics

The influence of various alumina additions on the optical property of zirconia/alumina composite ceramics was investigated. The relative sintered densities, transmittances, color and the microstructure of the composite ceramics were studied. The experimental results showed that the relative sintered densities and transmittances decreased with alumina addition. The lightness increased obviously but the chroma change was small. Pure zirconia nanopowders sintered densely could obtain the relatively high transmittance, while the transmittance and the lightness of slight addition changed significantly. The zirconia/alumina composite ceramics with alumina addition less than 7.5wt% could achieve the relatively stable and reliable optical properties.

Effect of TiO_(2)Addition on Properties of Al_(2)O_(3)Ceramics Prepared by Digital Light Printing(DL.P)

Ceramic slurry of 78 mass%solid loading was prepared using photosensitive acrylic resin and dispersant SP-710 as the liquid phase,Al_(2)O_(3) powder(d50=2.38μm)and TiO_(2) powder additive as the solid phase.Alumina ceramics were prepared by DLP,sintering for 4 h at 1450,1500,1550 or 1600℃,respectively.The effects of the TiO_(2) addition(0,1%,2%,3%and 5%,by mass)on the properties of the ceramics were studied.The results show that the addition of TiO_(2) can improve the sintering of Al_(2)O_(3) ceramics,significantly improve the densification,and reduce the sintering temperature.With the optimum TiO_(2) addition of 3%and the optimum sintering temperature of 1600℃,the obtained Al_(2)O_(3) ceramics have shrinkage of 15.7%,15.8%and 23.8%at the x axis,the y axis,and the z axis,respectively,the porosity of 2.4%,the bulk density of 3.74 g·cm-3 and the three-point bending strength of 251.1 MPa.Compared with the undoped alumina ceramics,the doped alumina ceramic has increased bulk density by 0.56 g·cm-3,decreased apparent porosity from 20.2%to 2.4%,and the three-point bending strength increases by 2.5 times.Therefore,the density and the strength of DLP prepared ceramics can be improved effectively by adding an appropriate amount of TiO_(2),and the performance of the DLP prepared ceramics is close to that of the pressed samples.Thus,it is hopeful to apply DLP in refractories field.

Effect of La_2O_3 content on wear resistance of alumina ceramics

In order to improve the wear resistance, a kind of alumina ceramic with good wear resistance was created in an Al_2O_3-CaC_O3-SiO_2-MgO-La_2O_3（ACSML） system. The effects of La_2O_3 content on sintering temperature, bulk density, and wear rate were investigated. The wear rate of sample was as low as 0.0393‰. The wear resistance of the sample containing La_2O_3 has improved 43% than that of the sample without La_2O_3. Appropriate La_2O_3 doping could inhibit grain growth, enhance density, and purify grain boundary. La_2O_3 could diffuse into Al_2O_3 to form a solid solution and react with Al_2O_3 to form high-aluminum low-lanthanum complex oxides. The combination among Al_2O_3, the solid solution layer, and the layer of high-aluminum low-lanthanum complex oxides combined closely, which could improve grain boundary cohesion. Besides, the homogeneous distributions of elements made uniform structure. Finally, the wear resistance of alumina ceramic was improved.

Effects of annealing and firing in wet hydrogen on the dielectric breakdown strengths of alumina ceramics

Annealing and firing in wet hydrogen are widely used steps in the processing alumina.ceramic insulators that may affect their dielectric breakdown strengths(DBS).In this study,the effects of annealing(at 1300℃for 7 h)and firing in wet hydrogen on the DBS of alumina ceramics(all sintered at 1650℃)were studied,and the underlying mechanisms were analyzed by material characterizations.Annealing reduced the DBS of the 95%alumina ceramics due to the inter-granular phase crystallization,and the reduction in the DBS could be correlated to the reduction in mechanical strength.In contrast,annealing improved the DBS of the 99%alumina ceramic without intergranular phase transformation.Firing in wet hydrogen at 1500℃caused the DBS increment,which can be ascribed to the reduction in the concentrations of point defects and electrical carriers.

Thermal Insulation Materials of Alumina Based Porous Ceramics

Significant energy saving effects can be made through the improvement of furnace refractories,especially the thermal insulation refractories. In this study,the preparation and the application of different alumina based porous ceramics were briefly introduced. Alumina based porous ceramics were prepared combined foaming method with gelcasting,sol- gel process or cement curing process. The influences of different preparation methods on the sintering shrinkage, porosity, phase composition, microstructure, compressive strength and thermal conductivity were discussed. Alumina based porous ceramics with relatively high strength and low thermal conductivity could be obtained through the above mentioned methods. Compared with the traditional lining materials,about 40% energy could be saved when they were used as the furnace wall.

Effects of alcohol additives on pore structure and morphology of freeze-cast ceramics

The porous alumina ceramics with lamellar structure were fabricated successfully by freeze casting. The viscosities of alumina slurries, pore structures, porosities and mechanical properties of the sintered ceramics were investigated by introducing both types of alcohols as water solidification modifier into the initial slurries, such as ethanol and 1-propanol. With the addition of ethanol or 1-propanol, the viscosities of slurries increased and porosities of sintered ceramics decreased. The compressive strengths of the sintered porous alumina ceramics were improved due to a good connectivity between lamellae with the addition of both types of alcohols. The lowest porosities of 68.52% and 73.72% and highest compressive strengths of 18.2 MPa and 15.0 MPa were obtained by the addition of 30% ethanol in mass fraction and 1-propanol, respectively.

Sea Urchin Spines as a Model-System for Permeable,Light-Weight Ceramics with Graceful Failure Behavior.Part Ⅱ.Mechanical Behavior of Sea Urchin Spine Inspired Porous Aluminum Oxide Ceramics under Compression

Sea urchin spines were chosen as a model system for biomimetic ceramics obtained using starch-blended slip casting. Porous alumina ceramics with cap-shaped layers with different alternating porosities were found to have superior fracture behavior under bulk compression compared to ceramics with uniform porosity.They fail in a cascading manner,absorbing high amounts of energy during extended compression paths.The porosity variation in an otherwise single phase material mimicks the architectural microstructure design of sea urchin spines of Heterocentrotus mammillatus,which are promising model materials for impact protection.

PROGRESSIVE FRAGMENT MODELING OF FAILURE WAVE IN CERAMICS UNDER PLANAR IMPACT LOADING

Polycrystalline ceramics have heterogeneous meso-structures which result in high singularity in stress distribution. Based on this, a progressive fragment model was proposed which describes the failure wave formation and propagation in shocked ceramics. The governing equation of the failure wave was characterized by inelastic bulk strain with material damage and fracture. And the inelastic bulk strain consists of dilatant strain from nucleation and expansion of microcracks and condensed strain from collapse of original pores. Numerical simulation of the free surface velocity was performed in good agreement with planar impact experiments on 92.93% aluminas at China Academy of Engineering Physics. And the longitudinal, lateral and shear stress histories upon the arrival of the failure wave were predicted, which present the diminished shear strength and lost spall strength in the failed layer.

Numerical Simulations of Tungsten Alloy Rods Penetration into Alumina Ceramic/Armor Steel Composite Target

The Johnson-Holmquist constitutive ceramic model is re-implemented into the LS_ DYNA3D program to simulate the penetration of long rod projectile into ceramic/armor steel composite targets. The damage evolution, fracture propagation, and spall damage in the ceramic/armor targets is represented during the simulation procedure and the accuracy of the penetration depth comparing between the simulating and experimental results is reliable with an error less than 8 %. The relationship between the mass efficiency factor, differential factor and ceramic tiles thickness is given out for the penetration results with/without a cover plate.

Flame Pyrolysis Spraying of Alumina-Yttria Ceramic Coating

Alumina yttria composite oxide coating was obtained on the stainless steel through the pyrolysis of aluminium nitrate and yttrium nitrate by flame spraying in the open atmospheric environment. The isothermal oxidation behaviour of the specimens coated with alumina yttria was investigated in air at the temperature of 1273 K. The results show that coating can promote the selective oxidation of chromium in the alloy and improve the high temperature corrosion resistance of the stainless steel.

TLP bonding of alumina ceramic and 5A05 aluminum alloy using Ag-Cu-Ti interlayer

In order to join alumina ceramic to 5A05 aluminum alloy and obtain the excellent airtightness of joints whose maximum service temperature is 623 K, transient liquid phase （TLP） bonding technique was ,investigated using Ag-Cu-Ti alloy as interlayer. The wetting experimental results confirm that Ti can react with alumina ceramic at 833 K by adding 2 wt.% Ti in Sn. But during bonding alumina ceramic and 5A05 aluminum alloy with Ag-Cu-Ti interlayer at 833 K, Ti preferentially reacts with Al and there is no reaction layer on alumina ceramic/Ag-Cu-Ti interface, which finally results in a poorly airtight joint.

Preparation of High Performance Grccn Alumina Ceramic Balls by Roller Production Waste

To reuse roller waste as a raw material of high performance green ceramic balls, three kinds of white alumina ceramic balls whose wear resistance were 2-3 times of the best high alumina ceramic ball with 90% Al2O3 were prepared, and the Al2O3 content of the prepared balls was 75%. It is found that the effect of calcia and magnesia on the wear resistance of ceramic balls is contrast to the accepted one： the wear rate of the ceramic balls prepared in CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 system is the lowest and the wear rate of the ceramic balls prepared in MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 is the highest. The main crystal phase of the ceramic ball is mullite and corundum. The ceramic ball granular is uniform and fine with 4-5 μm average size. The pore diameter is about 2 μm. The wear way of the ceramic balls is mainly transcrystalline fracture.

Friction and Wear Behavior of Fine-grained Alumina Ceramic under Physiological Saline Conditions

Sliding friction and wear behavior of two different grain-size aluminas （average grain size = 0.6 and 2 μm） was studied in physiological saline environment. Relationship between time and wear loss was observed. The wear loss volume increased with increased sliding time and fine-grained alumina exhibits a lower value. In the initial wear-in period, grains pull-out caused by grain-boundary microcracking is the dominant wear mechanism of submicron grained alumina. In the case of alumina of large grain size, intergranular and transgranular fracture is the basic wear mechanism. As the sliding time increases, compaction of wear debris on sliding surface of fine and coarsen alumina determines the wear characteristics.

LOW TEMPERATURE SINTERING OF ALUMINA BIOCERAMIC UNDER NORMAL PRESSURE

Supr fine alumina powder with high pu- rity (mean particle size isless than 0.35 μm) were used as main starting material for sinteringalumina ceramic. A multiple additive MgO-ZrO_2(Y_2O_3) washomogeneously added into the batch by the chemical coprecipitationmethod. Sintering of alumina bioceramic at low tempera- ture(<1600deg C) was achieved resulting in a dense and high strengthalumina ceramic with the bending strength up to 382 MPA and animproved fracture toughness. Mecha- nism that the multiple additivespromote the sintering of a- lumina ceramic is discussed on the baseof XRD and SEM analysis.