Preparation of low-shrinkage and high-performance alumina ceramics via incorporation of pre-sintered alumina powder based on Isobam gelcasting.

Mechanically robust alumina ceramics with low shrinkage were successfully prepared via gelcasting using Isobam as the gelling agent and pre-sintered alumina powder as the raw material for the first time. The influence of amount of pre-sintered alumina powder and powder's pre-sintering temperature on the viscosity of suspension and mechanical properties of low-shrinkage alumina ceramics were systematically investigated. The results showed that low-shrinkage alumina ceramics with flexural strength of 294.5 ± 33.0 MPa, linear shrinkage of 7.79% and relative density of 91.5% can be obtained with the addition of 60 wt% alumina powder pre-sintered at 1600 °C. This convenient and facile approach is promising to fabricate low-shrinkage alumina ceramics with large sizes, high dimensional accuracy and complex shapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]