PROCESSING OF AQUEOUS TAPE-CASTING OF ALUMINA WITH ACRYLIC EMULSION BINDERS

Two commercial acrylic emulsion binders (Tg = -40 degrees C and Tg = 1 0 degrees C) have been investigated as potential binders for aqueous a lumina suspensions for the tape casting process. Coupled with an aqueo us low-molecular weight ammonium polyacrylate salt solution as dispers ant, they lead to homogeneous systems which seem very compatible. The aqueous suspensions no not show apparent foaming. The suspensions exhi bit a typical shear-thinning character with a very few time dependent rheological behaviour, whatever the binder compositions tested. Fabric ation of homogeneous green tapes with very smooth surfaces and relativ e densities above 50% has proven to be relatively easy from these susp ensions. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Limited.