Preparation and performance of binder jetting porous alumina ceramic

Abstract

This study examines the effects of zirconium basic carbonate (ZBC) added to alumina powders on the mechanical behavior of binder jetting porous alumina ceramic. ZBC powder is easily decomposed to form zirconia particles and then is deposited in the interparticle void spaces. Green alumina samples were obtained with different ZBC contents of 0~8 wt%. The density, linear shrinkage, bending strength, and microstructural evolution of ceramic parts were analyzed and categorized in different ZBC contents. Results showed that the formation of zirconia particles was dominant and improved the performance of sintered samples. Sintering at 1450°C resulted in a denser Al2O3 part with a comparable bending strength of 75.2 MPa and an accessible linear shrinkage of 10% for the ZBC content range of 0 to 6 wt%. At ZBC content of 8 wt%, the gas generated by ZBC decomposition reduced the sintering density. Therefore, adding 6 wt % ZBC content is the optimal choice for binder jetted porous alumina ceramic.