Process dependant setting behavior of aqueous gelcast AlN slurries

In this study, AlN powder modified to improve anti-hydrolysis property with aluminum dihydrogen phosphate and phosphoric acid by mechanical milling was applied to prepare M-AlN gelcasting slurry. The effect of various parameters such as concentration of monomer and crosslinker, amount of initiator, solid content and temperature on the idle time was discussed for low-toxic N,N-dimethylacrylamide and N,N′-methylenbisacrylamide (DMAA and MBAM) system. The results suggested that the idle time of M-AlN gelcasting slurries decreased with increasing concentration of monomer and crosslinker, amount of initiator, temperature and the volume fraction of M-AlN. The calculated activation energy of 52.5 vol.% M-AlN was 29.46 kJ/mol. The M-AlN green body with optimum bulk density and maximum flexural strength was obtained when the amount of APS was 1.2 wt.% (on the monomers base), polymerization temperature was 65 °C, and polymerization time was 60 min for constant DMAA and MBAM (10 wt.%, 1 wt.% in the premix solution, respectively) in 52.5 vol.% M-AlN slurry. The bulk density of AlN sintered ceramic is greater than 3.27 g/cm3, which presents relative density value of 99.3% of theoretical.