Effect of reduced Al2O3 mole ratio on fabrication of cordierite ceramic by solid-state sintering method

Abstract

Cordierite ceramic was fabricated by reducing Al2O3 mole ratio from 2.0 to 1.4 with kaolin, silicon dioxide and magnesium oxide as the raw materials. The effect of reduced Al2O3 mole ratio on the sintering behaviors, phase transition, main properties, and microstructure were characterized in detail. The results show that cordierite phase becomes the main crystallization phase at 1300 oC, and mullite phase can be consumed to produce cordierite phase by reducing Al2O3 mole ratio. But additional quartz phase still exists until 1400 oC. Moreover, the open porosity, pore connectivity and pore size increase as Al2O3 mole ratio reduces from 2.0 to 1.4 while the linear shrinkage percent and bulk density decrease with the reduced Al2O3. It is considered that the sintering activity of the raw materials at low temperature decreases due to the increase of chemically pure magnesium oxide and silica with the decrease of Al2O3 mole ratio, while the crystallization process, pore growth and cordierite phase rather than the liquid phase control the densification process at high temperature.