Synthesis and mechanical properties of porous alumina from anisotropic alumina particles

A porous alumina body was synthesized from anisotropic alumina particles (platelets). The uniaxial pressure in fabricating the green compact body had an influence on the relative density of the alumina body after heating. When green compacts, which had been uniaxially pressed at 1 and 3 MPa, were heated at 1400 °C for 1 h, the relative densities of the resulting alumina bodies were 25.0% and 35.5%, respectively. The compressive strength of compacts that were uniaxially pressed at 1 and 3 MPa were 0.8 and 4.3 MPa, respectively. In an attempt to increase the compressive strength of these porous alumina bodies, aluminum nitrate and magnesium nitrate solution treatments were performed, followed by reheating to 1400 °C for 1 h. When a 0.5 mol/l aluminum nitrate solution was used, the compressive strength of the porous alumina body uniaxially pressed at 1 MPa changed from 0.8 MPa (without solution treatment) to 1.5 MPa. Furthermore, when 0.1 mol/l magnesium nitrate solution was used, the compressive strength of the porous alumina increased to 1.7 MPa. Thus, solution treatment of the porous alumina body had a strong positive effect on its mechanical strength.