COMPOSITES Al2O3-ZrO2 SHAPED WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF ENZYMES

In recent years the forming processes of elements, in which the ceramic green bodies are produced from ceramic suspensions are being investigated. The Direct Coagulation Casting (DCC) is a new and promising method of molding samples from ceramic slips of high solid loading. In the method the enzyme-catalized reaction is used to shift the pH of the ceramic suspension to the isoelectric point, what causes the coagulation of the slurry. The aim of this work was the research on shaping alumina-zirconia composites with the application of lipaze-catalized decomposition of glycerin triacetate. In DCC method the optimal content of the casting slip was experimentally chosen. The slip gaining small amount of organic additives, good flow properties and the shortest time after which the intensive increase of viscosity was observed, was considered as optimal. The sintering temperature leading to the best density and mechanical strengh parameters was found to be 1600 degrees C. The relative densities of DCC sintered samples were higher than 98%. The fracture toughness KIC for DCC samples are in the upper range of the values published for similar ceramics. The main conclusion is that DCC method, using the lipaze-catalized decomposition of glycerin triacetate, can be succesfully applied to forming of complex-shaped alumina-zirconia composites. Very good mechanical properties can be achieved due to the low content of binders and other additives.