Sintering and Microstructure of Alumina/Mica and Spinel/Mica Composites

Alumina/mica and spinel/mica composites were fabricated by sintering of compacts containing 20 mass% fluoromica ($KMg_3AlSi_3O-{10}F_2$) glass and alumina or spinel. In both composites, mica precipitated as plate-like crystals at temperatures lower than $1300^{\circ}C$ and melted at $1300^{\circ}C$ to $1400^{\circ}C$. In alumina/mica composites, alumina and glass reacted to produce spinel, and the densification progressed by the solution-precipitation of alumina. Consequently, the glass composition changed and the mica did not precipitate at temperatures higher than $1400^{\circ}C$. However, mica precipitated after a reheating process. In spinel/mica composites, the glass composition did not change. After the mica phase melted, it recrystallized during slow cooling. The relative density reached the maximum at $1500^{\circ}C$ for alumina/mica and at $1300^{\circ}C$ spinel/mica composites, and decreased at further high temperatures.