Strength of fine grained carbon-bonded alumina (Al2O3–C) materials obtained by means of the small punch test

Ceramic open cell foam filters are utilized for the reduction of non-metallic inclusions during casting of steel components. Fine grained carbon-bonded alumina (Al2O3–C) is used for the production of these porous filters. A new generation of Al2O3–C materials has been developed. The material has to withstand high mechanical loads during casting. Mechanical testing has to be applied to the material in order to ensure mechanical integrity of the filter structure. Standard sized specimens for the evaluation of the cold modulus of rupture (CMOR) are fabricated by uniaxial and isostatic pressing. The amount of binder (View the MathML sourceCabores®P) is varied from 10 to 20 wt% in this study. The differences in the mechanical behavior between the various material compositions as well as differences between the different production routes are investigated by means of the small punch test.