Fabrication and microstructure of porous SiC ceramics using suspension emulsions as pore-forming agents

Using emulsions of cyclohexane-in-water as pore-forming agent, porous SiC green bodies were prepared by gelcasting technology. Effects of the amount of oil and emulsifier on the microstructure, the porosity, the compressive strength and the drying linear shrinkage of the porous SiC green bodies were examined. By adjusting the amount of oil and emulsifier, the average pore size varied from 10.77 mu m to 26.40 mu m, the porosity varied from 63.57% to 80.19%, and the compressive strength varied from 14.7 MPa to 1.7 MPa. The compressive strength of the typical sintered specimens with porosity of 62.17% reached 60.69 MPa. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.