Enhancing strength of high-porous cordierite ceramics by mechanochemical activation of the charge

Effects of a preliminary mechanochemical activation of a cordierite charge prepared from of natural raw materials on the strength of high-porosity articles obtained by the method of polymeric-matrix duplication have been studied. It has been shown by the methods of differential thermal analysis, electron-microprobe analysis, and infrared spectroscopy that in an aqueous medium with additives of Trilon B the beginning of the synthesis of cordierite can be fixed already in the course of mechanical activation and that during dry processing using titanium carbide the first to be formed is rutile, which reacts with the kaolinite. It is shown that the introduction of Trilon B upon the activation of the charge in an aqueous medium ensures a steady increase in strength with a satisfactory quality of the cordierite produced and that the addition of titanium carbide intensifies the process of the cordierite synthesis and ensures a considerable growth of the strength of the highly porous permeable cordierite ceramics. © Allerton Press, Inc., 2007.