Advanced Ceramic or Glass Components and Composites by Electro–Phoretic Deposition/Impregnation Using Nanosized Particles

Abstract

Nano-particles can be used in ceramic processing to fulfill specific functions within a glass or ceramic matrix where the functionality is governed by their size. Furthermore, they can be used for the manufacturing of bulk ceramic or glass components, coatings and composites, taking advantage of their enhanced sinterability, which results in a significantly reduced sintering temperature. By means of electrophoretic deposition ceramic and glass coatings and components can be shaped fast, cost efficient and environmentally acceptable from aqueous suspensions. Homogeneous compacts with complex geometry and uniform wall thickness can be shaped. Since the deposition rate is independent of particle size, homogeneous green bodies with high density (> 80 %TD) could be prepared by deposition of powder mixtures with non-monomodal particle size distribution. Thus components of different shapes could be manufactured near-shape due to the reduced shrinkage during sintering (< 10 % linear shrinkage). By means of electrophoretic impregnation of porous green bodies with nanosized particles, ceramic or glass components with functionally graded density or/and chemical composition could be produced.