Influence of technological texture on electrical properties of industrial ceramics

In green vacuum-extruded silica ceramics, a technological texture brings about anisotropy of both the conductivity and effective permittivity. This anisotropy is also conserved upon dehydroxylation. Measurements of this anisotropy give quick and reliable information on the presence of a technological texture. The technological texture influences significantly a content of the physically bound water (PBW) and onset temperature of dehydroxylation. Upon firing, ceramics get electrically isotropic. Above 300 °C, fired silica ceramics behave as fast ionic conductors.