Alumina casting based on gelation of gelatine

A new colloidal in-situ forming technique based on the gelling property of gelatine is discussed in this paper. A warm slurry containing more than 50 vol% alumina powder and a small amount of gelatine (similar to 1 wt% of powder weight) is cast into a nonporous mould, and a rigid green body can be produced upon cooling below the so-called gel point of gelatine (15-20 degrees C). The mixed slurry is a pseudo plasticity fluid with an apparent viscosity lower than 1 Pa.s. After dying, ceramic compacts can be sintered without special debinding operations due to the small amount of binder (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.