Shaping of alkaline earth based new vitrified bodies by slip casting

In this study, sintering behaviour, microstructures and mainly rheological properties of a new porcelain body which has high whiteness and translucency was investigated. A specially developed frit, calcite, quartz, feldspar and kaolin are the raw materials used to formulate the new body. The effect of various deflocculants, precipitated silica and sodium sulphate on the rheological properties of a slurry prepared from the above raw materials is studied. The new porcelain contains diopsite, wollostonite, quartz and an amorphous phase. Although it is straighforward to deflocculate the slurry with sodium sulphate, viscosity and thixotropy of the slurry was observed to increase with time, especially at high solid loadings. Therefore, a stable casting property of the slurry with time was not able to be obtained. Rheological and casting properties were attemped to be stabilized by using precipitated silica and sodium sulphate and some improvements were made. Keywords: Diopsite, Wollostonite, Precipitated Silica, Sodium Sulphate 11