Effect of Ammonium Polyacrylate and Pre-Oxidation on Rheological Properties of Si3N4 Slurries

The key for gel-casting is the preparation of ceramic aqueous slurries with excellent rheological properties. The effect of ammonium polyacrylate and pre-oxidation on rheological properties of Si3N4 slurries was investigated. The Si3N4 isoelectric point (IEP) is between 3 and 4 in premix solution and particle surface potential is maximum at pH between 9.5 and 10.5. PAA-NH4 of dispersant can obviously decrease the viscosity of Si3N4 slurries, and the optimal dosage is about 1.6wt% of Si3N4 powders. Meanwhile, the Si3N4 slurries exhibit pseudoplastic fluid with the characteristic of shear-thinning behavior. Due to the improvement of powder surface characteristic, the pre-oxidation significantly improve the rheological properties of the Si3N4 slurries.