Colloidal behaviour of mullite powders produced by combustion synthesis

The combustion synthesis method is very attractive to produce homogeneous powders of pure or mixed oxidic ceramics without further thermal treatment. Previous work reports the synthesis of monophasic mullite powders by a suspension combustion process using two combustions aids, ammonium nitrate and hydrogen peroxide, and an excess of colloidal silica suspension. The combustion synthesis leads to coarse, agglomerated powders that must be crushed. The effect of attrition milling on both particle size and morphology was studied. Aqueous suspensions of the milled powders were prepared using two dispersants: citric acid and a polyacrylic acid-based polyelectrolyte. The stability of the powders was studied by measuring the zeta potential. The effect of the dispersants on the rheological behaviour of concentrated suspensions was also studied. The sintered densities and the microstructures of specimens obtained by slip casting were studied, demonstrating that mullite powders obtained by a single step combustion process can be processed through conventional shaping routes.