Effect of Fe2O3 addition on sintering behavior of cordierite ceramic obtained by solid-state sintering method

Abstract

Cordierite ceramics were prepared by solid-state sintering method and kaolin; silicon dioxide and magnesium oxide were used as the raw materials with Fe2O3 as the sintering addition. The effects of Fe2O3 additive amount on sintering behaviors and main properties were studied in detail. As the results, Fe2O3 promotes the sintering process and the cordierite phase also increases. As the sintering temperature and Fe2O3 additive amount increase, the mechanism of sintering shrinkage process changes. And after 1200 °C, the porosity decreases with the increasing Fe2O3 additive amount while the shrinkage percent and bulk density increase. However, excess Fe2O3 will gather in the pore walls and restrain the transformation from spinel phase to cordierite phase.