Natural additives in protein coagulation casting process for improved microstructural controllability of cellular ceramics

Aiming to improve the microstructural controllability of porous ceramic, starch was introduced as a natural additive into an environmental friendly process-protein coagulation casting. Results indicated that the viscosity of alumina/starch slurries was affected by the combined effect of the total solid loading and the water uptake of starch. Furthermore, as pore former and wet foam stabilizer, starch helped to increase the open porosity and obtain a more uniform distribution of microstructures in the fabricated alumina foams. A better microstructural controllability of the alumina foam prepared by the modified protein coagulation casting process was realised which is believed to be beneficial to the multifunctional application of these ceramic foams.