Characterization of micro- and macrostructure of injection-molded green body by liquid immersion method

Micro- and macrostructures of injection-molded alumina body were examined by the liquid immersion method, which is a novel powerful method for characterizing them. Thin specimens for examination were cut from various regions in the green body and made transparent by an immersion liquid. They were then examined by an optical microscope in normal and/or crossed polarized mode. The structural features found by the examination include particle orientation along the flow direction in the injection molding process and few extremely large particles. Their relevance to the forming process and the densification process is discussed. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Limited.