Some filtration parameters of diluted TiO2/water suspensions and the cake microstructure after sintering

Some filtration parameters (filter medium and average specific cake resistance) of dilute TiO2/water suspensions and the cake microstructure after sintering were investigated through the experiments conducted with and without binder at two concentrations (0.3 and 0.6 wt.% relative to the solids) and using coarse and fine pore size of filter medium (average pore size: 3 and 0.2 μm). Clogging and non-clogging filtration conditions were observed due to the particle–filter medium interaction. Medium clogging phenomena was observed with the particles without polymerization using coarse pore size filter medium and polymerized particles (0.6 wt.%) filtered with fine pore size filter medium. The cakes obtained from the clogging and non-clogging filtration conditions were dried and sintered at 950–1100 °C. The water adsorption tests and SEM studies showed an adequate relation between the clogging and non-clogging filtration conditions and microstructure of the cakes after sintering. The sintered products obtained from the non-clogging filtration condition had promising engineering properties in which fine and uniform grains with connected pores could be obtained.