Mechanical behavior of porous ceramic disks

The mechanical behavior of green and sintered porous ceramic materials, obtained by processing control, in relation to the microstructure developed was studied. Disks in green state were prepared by direct thermal consolidation of aqueous suspensions of kaolin, talc and alumina (preliminary mixture of cordierite) with the addition of different starches as consolidating/binding agents and as formers of pores at high temperature. Commercial kaolin (C-80 washed kaolin, Piedra Grande S.A., Argentina), micronized talc (Talc 40, China), calcinated alumina (A2G ALCOA, USA) and commercial potato, manioc, modified potato and corn starches were used as raw materials. The preliminary ceramic mixture was prepared based on the composition in oxides of the ceramic raw materials, in a relationship that was as close as possible to stoichiometric cordierite. Aqueous suspensions of the powders (65% solids; 0.5% sodium naphtolenosulfonate; 1% Dolapix with 17% of each kind of starch were prepared by intensive mechanical mixing, homogenization (ball mills, 2h) and extracting the air with vacuum 20 min. Disks were prepared (diameter=20-30 mm; thickness=3-4 mm) by thermal consolidation of the suspensions in steel molds at the maximum swelling factor temperature (Tms) for each starch (75- 85oC) for 4h and, later drying at 50oC, 12h. The porous materials of cordierite were obtained by calcination and reaction-sintering using a controlled thermal cycle: 1oC/min up to 650oC, 2h; 3oC/min up to 1330oC, 4h and 5oC/min to room temperature. The characterization of the porous materials in green and sintered state was done by measuring density and apparent porosity, distribution of pore sizes and SEM. The mechanical resistance of the materials in green and sintered state was evaluated in diametrical compression (Instron universal testing machine servo hydraulic model 8501), in position control (0.1-0.2 mm/min) with a statistical number of test pieces, at room air temperature. The mechanical resistance (σF) was defined from the maximum load values of the load-displacement curves. Using these the apparent force (σ)-deformation (ε) relationship was obtained by calculus and from the slope of the lineal part of these curves the apparent Young module (Ea) was estimated. The results obtained were analyzed as a function of the microstructures that developed and in relation to the behavior of the starches in aqueous suspension at temperature. Except for the disks prepared with corn starch, the values of σF for the disks in green state were higher than in the disks prepared without starch, which shows the binding power of the other starches depending on the relative order: modified ≥manioc≥ potato. The apparent Young module presented a similar behavior, indicating greater rigidity of the structure of the compacts in green state with starch that could be related partly to the differences in the behavior of the grains in water at the temperature of consolidation. All the final porous materials showed a significant increase in mechanical resistance observing a correlation between the σF values of the disks in green and sintered state compared to the type of starch used. The stress-deformation curves showed a significant increase of the lineal region compared to that observed in the disks in green state, presenting a completely fragile fracture. Additionally, the apparent Young module increased in similar proportion for each type of starch. Based on the adjustment of the fractomechanical parameters of the exponential models proposed for the fracture resistance and the elasticity module, the significant incidence of the material's global porosity is revealed and the complexity of the pores' morphology must be taken into account as well as the size of the pores that were different for each starch used. Also, it cannot be ignored that the ceramic matrix displays characteristics (for example, microfissures) that depend on which starch is used in its consolidation and that can affect the mechanical response of the porous material (au)