Abstract
Purpose: When casting of ceramics, proper amount of deflocculant was added for disperse the particles in slip. In this study, examined the optimum amount of APMA(ammonium polymethaacrylate) water as deflocculant for casting the zirconia. Methods: The 100 g of zirconia powder were ball milled with 300 g zirconia ball, 90 g of distilled water, and APMA water in polyethylene pot for 24 hours. The amount of APMA water were added as deflocculant from 0.5 to 0.9 g at an intervals of 0.1 g. The viscosity of slip with no deflocculant showed 1362c.p. and the minimum viscosity with 580c.p. obtained when the slip contained 0.7% of deflocculant. Bar type specimens were casted with plaster mold and biscuit fired at $1100^{\circ}C$ for 1 hours. Biscuit fired specimens were finished with $60mm(L){\times}14mm(W){\times}10mm(H) bar$. Finished specimens were 2nd fired at $1500^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. Results: Regardless the addition of deflocculant, all 2nd fired specimens showed 0% of apparent porosity and water absorption. The specimens with no deflocculant showed 24% of drying shrinkage and 27.4% firing shrinkage. On the other hand, The specimens with deflocculant showed 17.4% of drying shrinkage and 17.6% firing shrinkage regardless the amount of deflocculant. The maximum bulk density with $6.09g/cm^3$ obtained when the specimens casted with 0.7~0.9% of deflocculant contained slips. Bend strength of specimen with no deflocculant showed 680 MPa and the maximum bend strength with 814 MPa obtained when the specimen casted with 0.7% of diflocculant contained slip. Conclusion : It was found that the particle shape of the powder according to the dispersing agent is added, the particle size, sintering temperature and affect the particle size distribution, sintering time, sintering atmosphere, such a great influence on the sintering.
