Fabrication and properties of porous Si3N4 ceramics by aqueous gelcasting using low-toxic DMAA gelling agent

A low-toxic and water-soluble monomer N, N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) was employed as a gelling agent in the gelcasting of porous Si3N4 ceramics. The process conditions and composition for slurry preparation (with a solid loading of 36 vol%), the consolidation and sintering of green bodies were investigated and optimized. The effects of various factors such as zeta potential, pH value of the premix solution, dispersant dosage and ball milling time on the rheological properties of the slurries were investigated. The results suggest that the best rheological properties (66.5 mPa.s at a shear rate of 96.3 s−1) of the slurries were obtained when pH value ranged between 9 and 11, dispersant dosage reached 1 wt%, and ball milling time was 6 h. All the as-prepared green bodies showed a homogeneous microstructure and high flexural strength ≥ 26 MPa with a maximum up to 46.3 MPa when the ratio of DMAA to MBAM, initiator dosage, polymerization temperature and time were 14, 1 wt%, 70 °C and 90 min, respectively. The sintered bodies had a homogeneous microstructure, excellent and regulatable properties, a flexural strength of 216.3-327.3 MPa, and a porosity of 39.6-29.1% by varying the sintering temperature from 1710 °C to 1810 °C and the holding time from 1 h to 3 h. The superior comprehensive effect makes DMAA a promising candidate for an environmentally friendly gelling agent in gelcasting of porous Si3N4 ceramics.