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SCI has
long experience from working with highly concentrated powder
suspensions. The objective of this project is to manifest and
develop this knowledge that is crucial for the shaping of ceramic
components. The project will be run in close co-operation with the two
member projects on "Shaping by Direct Consolidation" and
"Formation of Layer Structures", respectively, but is
intended to
promote liquid-based powder processing in general. So far, SCI's
work has
focused on water-based systems and this will also be
the dominating approach in the future. In this project, however, other liquid concepts will also be evaluated.
Alcohols with or without water and/or ketones will be included with
the potential advantages of fewer bubble problems, better wetting
and lower drying stresses in shaping operations.
A
pre-requisite for achieving well-stabilized and highly concentrated
powder suspension in water and in alcohols is an efficient
dispersing concept, preferably governed by an efficient
dispersant. The evaluation of various dispersants, mainly
polyelectrolytes and (block) copolymers, will therefore be very
important in this project. When approaching shaping it will
also be important to study the compatibility with other processing
aids such as consolidating polymers, binders etc. as well as the
performance in shaping operations. The part of the work will mainly
be within the scope of the other member projects.
The
aim of this project is basically to evaluate and develop
dispersing systems based on alcohol with or without water and/or
ketones as an alternative to pure water systems. Oxidic
ceramic powders, such as alumina (Al2O3) and
zirconia (ZrO2), will initially be used as model systems but
other types of ceramics can be included later on. Such matters
will be decided upon by the industrial member.
Project Leader: Ola Lyckfeldt,
+46 31 7066277, mobile +46 70 7806277
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