Aluminum Titanate Ceramic Gelcasting Technology Research

Alumnium titannate is a material which has low-thermal expansion and can be used at high temperature. But it can not be used at some condition because it will be decomposed and becomes Al₂O₃ and TiO₂, and it has low strength. Gelcasting is an in-situ forming process in which slurry of ceramic powder in a solution of organic monomer is cast. The monomer mixture is polymerized in situ to form gelled parts at certain condition. The process is a promising technique for complex shapes of ceramic materials with high ingredient uniformity and high reliability of performance..At first the good-structure ceramics prepared by gel-casting. The technological character, conditions and affecting factors are discussed in the paper. The effects of pH value, dispersants, ball milling time and solid loading on the slurry are investigated. At the same time, the effects of gelling tine on forming process are researched. Mechanism of stabilized ceramic suspension for different dispersants was studied. The best concentration of monomer, binder and initiator was obtained by experiments, and the best technique of gel-casting Al₂TiO₅ was also obtained.The best technique of gel-casting Al₂TiO₅ was obtained by testing water absorption, volume density, mechamical property and micro structure. Al₂TiO₅-ceramic with uniform grain size, low porosity and high density was prepared. The flexural strength of Al₂TiO₅ ceramic was increased by adding mullite whisker and the applied range of Al₂TiO₅ ceramic was develop.