REPLICATION TECHNIQUE

AIM

To prepare a ceramic product with controlled macro-porosity by
replication technique.
REQUISITES
Polymer Foam, Beaker, Fireclay slurry.
PRINCIPLE
Replication involves coating a flexible, open-cell polymer foam with
ceramic slurries. After removal of the excess slip by squeezing and subsequent
drying, the polymer is burned out and the ceramic sintered in a single step. It is
a simple technique to produce a ceramic with controlled macro-porosity.
PROCEDURE
A Polymer foam was selected, may be of polyurethane or polyvinyl
chloride. The Ceramic slurry was prepared with fireclay and china clay (binder)
such that fireclay-70%, china clay-30% and required amount of water was
added, to make a suitable suspension with appropriate rheological properties.
Flocculating agents were also added to improve the adherence of the slurry to
the polymer material. The polymer foam was then dipped into the slurry and
squeezed such that the polymer was able to absorb the slurry and should burn
out completely on firing. The excess slip was squeezed out, dried, fired to burn
out organics and finally it was sintered to get a ceramic with controlled
macroporosity.


FLOWCHART














RESULT
Thus, a ceramic product with controlled macro-porosity was prepared by
replication technique.

Polymer Foam
Dipped in Ceramic
Slurry
Dried
Squeezed
(to remove excess slurry)
Fired
(to burn out organics)
Ceramic Product
(with controlled macro-
porosity)




















Plasticiser (PEG)
Mixed with Water & Stirred

Suspension
Shaped into a Thin Coat
Dried
Binder (PVA)
Zirconia Powder
Coated over a glass plate
(coated with releasing agent)
Removed from Glass
plate using Doctor Blade
Zirconia Tapes























100 parts of 4.5 %
AlCl
3
Solution
75.3 parts of 10.9 %
Na
2
CO
3
Solution
Dried in Air Bath
Washed & Filtered
Aged
Alumina Gel
Mixed in Magnetic Stirrer
Dry Gel
Dispersed in Water
Alumina Gel Slurry
(10 % Al
2
O
3
)
Nano Al
2
O
3
Powder
Resultant is Ground
Hydrothermal Treatment in
Autoclave
Acetic Acid






















Zirconium Oxy-chloride
Mixed
Distilled Water
Continuous Stirring
White gelatinous
precipitates
Thick Gel
Filtered & Washed
WashedVigorously
shaked
Ammonia
Acid
Oven Dried
Milled
Calcined
Zirconia Powder
AIM

To prepare zirconia powder by precipitation technique

APPARATUS REQUIRED

Beaker, China dish, Magnetic stirrer, Drier, Furnace, pH meter

REAGENTS REQUIRED

Zirconium Oxy-chloride, Distilled Water, Ammonia

PROCEDURE

A saturated solution of Zirconium Oxy-chloride (ZrOCl2.8H2O) was
prepared with distilled water. The solution was well mixed in magnetic stirrer
and . Adequate quantity of ammonia was added to the solution drop by drop
until the pH was around 10 - 10.5. The pH of the solution was monitored
frequently. This hydrolysis yielded while gelatinous precipitates which were
filtered and washed with distilled water. The precipitate was then oven dried at
110C for 12 hours. Later, the dried precipitate was calcined at around 400 -
700C. The calcined precipitate was then ground to get the zirconia powders.

The Flow sheet for the process has been given below:


RESULT

The Zirconia powder was prepared successfully by precipitation
technique.