Porous Al2O3-ZrO2 composites fabricated by an ice template method

Porous Al2O3-ZrO2 Composites with homogeneous and long-range ordered channels were produced by an ice template method. An increase of the initial solids loading from 40 to 70 wt.% caused the final porosity to decrease from 74% to 35%, while the compressive strength increased from 15 to 81 MPa. The sample obtained from the 80 wt.% suspension was not porous, and a critical velocity model is employed to explain this phenomenon. (C) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.