Thermal and mechanical behavior of ZrTiO4-TiO2 porous ceramics by direct foaming

This paper reports the production of micro porous ceramics consisting of TiO2 and ZrO2 by direct foaming. ZrO2 particles in a colloidal suspension were partially hydrophobized using propyl gallate as an amphiphile at a suitable pH range of around 3.5-4.5. A TiO2 suspension with different mole ratios was added to the surface modified ZrO2 suspension to obtain ZrTiO4-TiO2 porous ceramics in the sintered sample. The influence of the TiO2 content and calcination temperature on the phase transformation, microstructure, and thermal properties of the materials was determined by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and dilatometry. The crystallization of ZrTiO4 (orthorhombic) was observed at 1100 °C on the thermal hysteresis curve due to anisotropic thermal expansion. The compressive load and displacement of the sintered porous ceramics samples were calculated using the Hertzian indentation method.