ABSTRACT
The homogenization, dispersion, and stability of particles in liquids are primary important steps in the processing of high-performance ceramics produced by conventional slurry consolidation methods such as tape casting and slip casting. In ceramic powders, the primary discrete units are usually considered to be grains, which for synthetic powders usually lie in the sub-micron range. Under practical conditions, poor wetting in ceramic slips causes cavitation, foaming on shearing, and increased viscosity. In some cases, difficulties can be encountered for wetting ceramic powders under processing conditions. On dealing with simpler oxide ceramic, the surface-charging mechanism has been explained by the Lewis acid-base concept involving direct proton transfer with the surface. A popular misconception in the processing of ceramic powder in organic media with a low dielectric constant is that good stability can only be obtained by using a dispersant with a sufficiently long chain length to give steric repulsion.
