Simulation and investigation of pore size graded titania layers during sintering

The topic of this work is the investigation of the sintering process of thi n self-supporting ceramic layers with a gradient in the particle size and p ore size distribution. These graded titania layers were produced by zentrif ugal deposition from mixed sol powder mixtures with wide particle size dist ributions. The graded structure causes strong deformations of the layers du ring the drying and the sintering step. Finite element simulations were use d to describe the deformation behaviour during sintering. The results were compared with the parpage of real layers. Furthermore, a possibility to sup press a sintering deformation is shown with the help of experimental and si mulated data. The sintered layers were charakterized by SEM, AFM, gas adsor ption and roughness measurements. Quantitative image analysis of polished c ross-sections and AFM investigations of ion beam cutted slopes were used fo r detecting the run of the pore size gradient within the layers. (C) 2000 K luwer Academic Publishers.