Effect of aluminum lactate powder in the production of mullite porous bodies

Abstract

Mullite porous bodies were produced by means of simultaneous induction of a foaming reaction between aluminum powder and sodium hydroxide and a gel-set reaction between sodium aluminate, a binding agent, and sodium silicate. The effects of aluminum lactate on the porosity and pore size of the porous bodies were investigated. The effects of the amount of aluminum lactate powder were most pronounced at 0.5 mass%, at which the maximum porosity was 50% and the mean pore size was 200 μm. In addition, the pore size of the porous bodies increased to 100-800 μm by the addition of aluminum lactate powder.