Particle-stabilized ultra-low density zirconia toughened alumina foams

Zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) is one of the leading engineering ceramics; it is used in a wide range of components and products in applications for which high strength, high toughness, and high temperature stability are needed. The particle-stabilized direct foaming method has lately become a subject of particular interest. Nevertheless only a few studies on combining ZTA ceramics and particle-stabilized direct foaming have been reported. Therefore, in this study, ultra-low density ZTA foams having single strut wall thickness, cell size ranging from 80 μm to 200 μm, and above 90% porosity were successfully fabricated via the particle-stabilized direct foaming method. Valeric acid was used as particle surface modifier to render the particles partially hydrophobic, which stabilized the air/water interface of the ZTA foams. The sintered foams maintained compressive strength up to 8 MPa with porosity of 90%.     

短链两亲分子活性剂制备氮化硅泡沫陶瓷

采用直接起泡法制备氮化硅泡沫陶瓷,研究了长链表面活性剂与短链两亲分子活性剂对泡沫稳定性的影响,分析了Si3N4泡沫陶瓷的微观结构。结果表明：与长链表面活性剂稳定的泡沫相比,短链两亲分子稳定的泡沫稳定性较好,泡体呈现球形或椭球形。通过控制发泡工艺制备出气孔尺寸分布均匀的开孔和闭孔两种不同孔结构的多孔氮化硅泡沫陶瓷,闭孔氮化硅泡沫陶瓷的气孔率和抗弯强度分别为40%和106MPa;开孔氮化硅泡沫陶瓷的气孔率和抗弯强度分别为80%和28MPa。     

ZrO2 对堇青石多孔陶瓷性能和显微结构的影响

以高岭土、滑石和αAl2O3微粉为主要原料,按堇青石的理论组成配料后,外加10%的化学纯活性炭为造孔剂,同时分别外加0、0.25%、0.5%、0.75%和1.0%的分析纯ZrO2,经湿混、干燥、造粒、成型和1340℃保温5h烧成后,制成不同ZrO2含量的堇青石多孔陶瓷,并研究了ZrO2外加量对试样热膨胀系数、显气孔率、吸水率及烧成收缩率的影响,并用XRD和SEM分析了试样的物相组成和断面形貌。结果表明:与未加ZrO2的相比,外加0.25%ZrO2时,试样的热膨胀系数显著降低,但超过0.25%时,热膨胀系数随ZrO2外加量的增加而略有升高;随ZrO2外加量的增加,试样的显气孔率和吸水率逐渐增大,而烧成收缩率降低;与未加ZrO2的试样相比,外加1.0%ZrO的试样内扁平状气孔的数量较多,且气孔在试样内分布较均匀。     

Effect of carboxymethyl cellulose addition on the properties of Si3N4 ceramic foams

The effect of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) addition on the preparation of Si₃N₄ ceramic foam by the direct foaming method was investigated. The addition of CMC in the foam slurry can reduce the surface tension, increase the viscoelasticity of foams, and improve their stability and fluidity. The foam ceramics show low shrinkage during drying owing to the CMC and the gelation of acrylamide monomers. The surface structure of dried foam is uniform, and there are no macropores and cracks on the surface. The sintered Si₃N₄ foam ceramics have very uniform pore distribution with average pore size of about 16 μm; the flexure strength is as high as 3.8–77.2 MPa, and the porosity is about 60.6–82.1%.     

Microstructure,thermal conductivity and simulation of elastic modulus of MAX-phase (Ti2AlC) gel-cast foams

MAX-phase (Ti₂AlC) gel-cast foams manufactured using agarose as gelling agent were investigated in terms of their microstructural, mechanical and thermal properties. The microstructural analysis of Ti₂AlC foams made using SEM were compared with those using X-ray micro tomography. The Young’s Modulus of Ti₂AlC foams was determined using the impulse excitation technique. This experimental data was correlated with the Gibson-Ashby, Spriggs and Cross-property relation models. The thermal conductivity measurements were carried out by Laser-Flash analysis correlating to the pore network in the Ti₂AlC foam structure derived from μCT measurement. FEM-simulations of the mechanical behaviour were carried out on real structure models to determine a strut wise stress distribution under load.     

Effects of foam composition on the microstructure and piezoelectric properties of macroporous PZT ceramics from ultrastable particle-stabilized foams

Porous lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics could be produced by combining the particle-stabilized foams and the gelcasting technique. In this study, the foaming capacity of particle-stabilized wet foams was tailored by changing the concentration of valeric acid and pH values of suspension. Accordingly, porous PZT ceramics with different porosity, microstructure, dielectric and piezoelectric properties were prepared with the respective wet foam. Increase in the porosity led to a reduction in the relative permittivity (ε_r), a moderate decline in the longitudinal piezoelectric strain coefficient (d₃₃) and a rapid decline in the transverse piezoelectric strain coefficient (d₃₁), which endowed porous PZT ceramics with a high value of hydrostatic strain coefficient (d_h) and hydrostatic figure of merit (HFOM). As a result, the prepared samples possessed a maximal HFOM value of 19,520×10^?15 Pa^?1 with the porosity of 76.3%. The acoustic impedance (Z) of specimens had the lowest value of 1.35 Mrayl, which could match well with those of water or biological tissue; accordingly, the material would be beneficial in underwater sonar detectors or medical ultrasonic imaging.     

An effective approach to reinforced closed-cell Al-alloy foams with multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Exploring the reinforcing role of carbon nanotubes to obtain materials (polymers, metals, ceramics) with enhanced properties has been often attempted, but the success is strongly limited by the dispersing degree of carbon nanotubes. Here we report on an innovative colloidal approach to disperse the carbon nanotubes in the powders mixture of the precursor materials in order to profit from their reinforcing potential and obtain a new class of closed-cell metal foams. The feasibility of the proposed approach was demonstrated for aluminium foams reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes. These nanocomposite metal foams synergistically combine the remarkable properties of both metal foams and carbon nanotubes. The results indicate that the tubular structure of carbon nanotubes is preserved throughout the entire the process. The carbon nanotubes are individually dispersed, stretched and randomly aligned in the aluminium-matrix of these closed-cell foams, thus potentiating their homogeneous 3D reinforcing role. Accordingly, the Vickers micro-hardness of the closed-cell foams was greatly enhanced.     

多元稳定剂复合掺杂对增韧ZrO_2陶瓷性能的影响

Y_2O_3、CeO_2,MgO分别单独作为稳定剂制备增韧ZrO_2陶瓷材料,各有优点和不足。为了发挥不同稳定剂的优点而抑制其不足,本文研究了多元稳定剂复合添加对增韧ZrO_2陶瓷性能的影响。试验发现Y、Ce、Mg三种稳定剂复合掺杂的(Y、Ce、Mg)—PTZ陶瓷保持了Y稳定剂使材料强度、硬度较高的优点,发挥了Ce稳定剂使材料高韧性的优点,而Mg的加入实现了液相促进下的低温烧结,克服了Ce稳定剂使材料晶粒粗大,穿晶断裂等缺点,可获得高韧性、高强度ZrO_2陶瓷材料。     

Hierarchically structured glass monoliths based on polyurethane foams as template

Hierarchically porous glass foams were prepared via a combination of a replication technique and a phase separation of sodium borosilicate glasses. Open-pore polyurethane foams were impregnated with a slurry containing sodium borosilicate glass powder, binders, solvents and stabilizers. The composite was calcinated and sintered whereupon the organic polymer was decomposed and the monolith was compacted. A phase separation was initiated by an additional thermal treatment. The sodium-rich borate phase in the phase separated glass was removed with hydrochloric acid. Finally, the secondary silica species within the pores generated by the acid treatment were removed with sodium hydroxide solution. The monoliths were characterized by electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption, μ-CT and mercury porosimetry. Pore diameters – obtained from the template structure – were achieved in a range of 0.4–1.0 mm. The following phase separation and the coupled acid-alkaline leaching lead to an additional pore system within the glass framework.     

多孔陶瓷的制备和应用研究进展

由于多孔陶瓷材料在化学工业、信息通讯、生物技术、环境能源等领域的广泛应用,近年来倍受关注。综述了多孔陶瓷的几种制备方法,并将多孔陶瓷在过滤材料、催化剂载体、生物材料、吸音隔热材料、敏感材料上的应用情况作了简要说明,充分肯定了多孔陶瓷对人类社会的作用。