Recent developments in gelcasting of ceramics

Gelcasting is a well-established colloidal processing method with a short forming time, high yields, high green capacity and low-cost machining, and has been used to prepare high-quality and complex-shaped dense/porous ceramic parts. In this article, we reviewed recent developments in gelcasting technology for ceramic preparation. For environmental pollution reduction during ceramic preparation by gelcasting, the development of low-toxic and nontoxic gelcasting systems is discussed. The occurrence and control of inner stress and surface-exfoliation in ceramic green bodies prepared by gelcasting are analyzed, and then some methods to control and eliminate the inner stress and surface-exfoliation in ceramic gelcast green bodies, especially for colloidal injection molding of ceramics (CIMC) are proposed. Finally, the applications of gelcasting for the fabrication of porous ceramics and complex-shaped ceramics (e.g., microbeads, rutile capacitor, thin-wall rutile tube, refractory nozzle) are summarized. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.