Novel Mullite Synthesis Based on Alumina Nanoparticles and a Preceramic Polymer

Heating in air of a selected mixture of a silicone resin and alumina nanoparticles in the temperature range 1200°–1500°C yielded dense, crack-free mullite samples. Al₂O₃, due to its nanometric size, proved to be very reactive toward silica, deriving from the ceramization of the preceramic polymer, leading to the formation of a large volume fraction of mullite crystals even at low firing temperatures (1250°C). Because of the homogeneity of the distribution of alumina nanoparticles in the starting system, the ceramized samples exhibited a very fine microstructure consisting of crystals with an average dimension in the range of 50–300 nm.