Dopant incorporation in ceramics prepared by binder coagulation casting

Uniform incorporation of inorganic dopants and sintering aids into ceramic green bodies is necessary for the development of controlled microstructures during sintering. Binder coagulation casting (BCC) is a novel near-net sha pe fabrication process that is driven by controlled adsorption of polymeric binders. Two methods were used to incorporate small amounts of inorganic a dditives into ceramic compositions formed using BCC the conventional mixed powder method and a novel method of using the organic additive system in BC C as a chelating agent for dopant cations. Cobalt dopant in zirconia was us ed as a model system for this work. MgO sintering aid in alumina was also e xamined. Sintering behavior and microstructure analysis using AFM are discu ssed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.