Formulation of mixed alumina/kaolin systems : Application to the elaboration of multi-layer materials by co-pressing

Rana Al Tahan

Abstract

Multilayer ceramic architectures generally exhibit improved mechanical properties in regards with individual monolithic constituents. In alumina-based materials, addition of kaolin can advantageously promote i) mullite crystallisation and ii) internal residual stresses by monitoring thermal expansion mismatch between layers. From powders prepared by freeze granulation whose formulations contain a reduce amount of organic additives, alumina/mullite composites shaped by uniaxial pressing have been developed and characterized. Two different kaolins are used in this study, with different characteristics in terms of crystallinity, grain shape, layering and basal/lateral face ratio. The originality of this work consisted in studying in detail the dispersion mechanisms of kaolinite suspensions in aqueous media by acoustophoresis, and in highlighting the relationship between kaolinite’s electrokinetic properties, physicochemical characteristics and thermal pretreatment between 200 and 800°C. The sintering properties of mixed alumina/kaolinite formulations were studied as a function of kaolinite crystallinity and content (0-25%vol). This thesis studies the integrated chain of a ceramic process, starting with the selection of kaolinite as a raw material (acoustophoresis, MAS NMR), its crystallochemical transformation into mullite (thermal analyses, dilatometry) and its incorporation into an alumina matrix for an original architecture of multilayer materials with modified properties of toughness and fracture resistance. The multi-layer materials developed show good interfacial adhesion despite the presence of a porous zone close to the layer interface. Compared to the monolithic materials, the most efficient multilayer configurations exhibit a failure stress improved by 30%.

Keywords

Kaolinite, Aluminous multilayer materials, Residual stresses, Co-Pressing, Mullite