Comparison study of aqueous binder systems for slurry-based processing

The use of environmentally friendly alternatives, such as water, to replace volatile and toxic solvents for material forming applications has been gaining increased attention from industry in recent years. This study provides the groundwork for selecting water-compatible binders for clean slurry-based processing based on the relative performance of binders. In particular, the study examines the influence of various binders, including thermoplastic starch, polyvinyl alcohol, styrene–butadiene latex, and acrylic latex, on the properties of aqueous-based powder suspensions and pre-fired multilayer laminates fabricated using a modified dip coating process. Tungsten (W)/aluminum oxide (Al2O3), a common metal–ceramic system used in various slurry-based processes and applications, is selected as a representative material system for the study. Through the characterizations of physical properties and microstructures of the materials, the application-specific property optimization of each binder system is determined and discussed. Latexes and cross-liked PVA are found feasible for water-based processing, provided that there is proper control of processing parameters.