Colloidal Processing

Abstract

This chapter introduces the main concepts of colloidal processing. It discusses the fundamentals characterizing the rheology of particle suspensions, and outlines the high potential of using metal oxide nanoparticles for the fabrication of advanced ceramic materials. Colloidal processing consists of five main process steps that is, powder synthesis, suspension preparation, consolidation into the desired component shape, removal of the solvent phase, and densification. Colloidal processing allows for the forming of ceramic green bodies of specific and often complex shape and featuring tailored microstructures. Drained casting techniques use porous molds to consolidate the ceramic dispersion by separating liquid and solid components at the macroscopic level and to obtain thus a green body of desired form. Heteroaggregation can be exploited to tune the structural and thus the rheological properties of particle dispersions. The mechanical stability of porous ceramic bodies is crucial for all technological applications.