In-situ coagulation moulding of ceramic suspensions

A fast, near-net shape route for the production of advanced ceramic components has been developed in which the time dependent in-situ hydrolysis of carboxylic acid derivatives progressively destabilises a suspension within a non porous mould to form a viscoelastic green body solid within which the homogeneity of the initial dispersion is maintained. After drying, the ceramics could be sintered without needing debinding since <1 wt% of organic additives were used. As applied to a-alumina initially dispersed using ammonium polyacrylate, this new process route yielded dense, high strength, reliable components with uniform microstructures.