Improvement on the mechanical properties of zinc oxide green sheets by aqueous acrylamide gel tape casting

Various organic constituents were used to improve the mechanical properties of green sheets prepared by a novel aqueous gel tape casting. Two deadly problems of green sheets: brittle and surface exfoliation were settled and mechanical properties were estimated. Compared with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG400 (Mw ≈ 400)), poly(propylene glycol) (PPG400 (Mw ≈ 400)) and di-ethylic phthalate (DEP), glycerol was the most efficient plasticizer to improve the flexibility of the green sheet. The addition of PEG2000 eliminated the surface-exfoliation phenomenon of green sheets in air and had no distinct deterioration in mechanical properties. The flexible and lubricous green sheets were obtained. The solid loading of the suspension reached 73.5 wt.% and the relative green density was 58%.