Processing and characterising of slurry for tape casting

• Main Author: Kho, Katherine Yu Jun.
• Other Authors: Tay Bee Yen
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Materials::Ecomaterials
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/19000
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Tape casting is one of the processes that are being used for the manufacturing of important applications such as solid oxide fuel cells, capacitors, laminates and membranes. Current process uses organic solvents including the use of carcinogenic additives, which poses concerns to health, safety and the environment. In this project, an aqueous-based slurry for tape casting was evaluated for the Al2O3 system. Experiments were carried out to evaluate corn starch, potato starch and tapioca starch as a binder. Glycerol and its content were also evaluated with the three different starch binders to determine its suitability as a plasticiser. This was done by studying the stability of different starch ceramic slurries with varying glycerol content using the rotational rheometer and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Lastly, water which functions as the plasticiser and carrier for the slurry was assessed with respect to its content; and the effects of water on slurry rheological behaviour and drying rate were studied.