Fabrication and some properties of textured ceramics by colloidal processing in high magnetic field

Recently to improve properties, highly microstructure controlled ceramics such as fine-grained, textured and laminated structures are required. We have demonstrated a new processing of textured ceramics with a feeble magnetic susceptibility by colloidal processing in a high magnetic field and subsequent heating. As colloidal processing, slip casting and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) have been conducted successfully. Colloidal processing is known to be a powerful method for consolidating fine particles with a high density and homogeneous microstructure. The degree of orientation strongly depends on the particle dispersion and some processing factors, such as particle size, applied magnetic field, concentration of the suspension, sintering temperature, etc. Crystalline-textured controlled laminated composites can be fabricated using EPD by varying the angle between the vectors of electric field and magnetic field. Also textured ceramics with complicated structure can be fabricated by reaction sintering. The colloidal processing in a high magnetic field confers several advantages and it is possible for this type of processing to be applied to non-cubic ceramics, such as alumina, titania, zinc oxide, tin oxide, hydroxy apatite, aluminium nitride, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, etc. The textured ceramics showed anisotropic properties depending on the crystal plane.