Preparation of porous ceramics by gelcasting approach

Gelcasting has been developed as a novel ceramic forming method for complex-shaped advanced materials of near-net-shape. In this work, the gelcasting process has been further developed to fabricate porous single- and multi-component ceramics. Porous multi-component ceramics were obtained from gelcast body of precursors by a reaction-sintering process. Large alpha-Al2O3 powders with a d(50) value of 21.12 mu m and mixed precursors were used to prepare porous alpha-Al2O3 and La0.6Sr0.4Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta ceramics, respectively. The experimental results presented here demonstrate the utility of the gelcasting process for fabricating practically useful porous ceramics. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.