MAS 2.0 - Guides - F.A.Q. - Tutorials - Home

Theoretical Considerations

Slip casting products fall in the category of crystalline ceramics. In general, the processing of ceramic materials fall into two classes based on the properties of the material, i.e., glasses or crystalline ceramics.

Glasses are manufactured into useful articles by first producing a viscous liquid, then shaping the material under viscous flow conditions, and finally cooling the material to produce a solid product.

Crystalline ceramics have a characteristic brittle behavior and are normally manufactured into useful components by first preparing a shape by pressing moist aggregates or powder, followed by drying, and then bonding by one of a variety of mechanisms: chemical reaction, verification, or sintering.

The mold used in slip casting contains very fine pores. The liquid is removed from the slurry by capillary action. This allows the ceramic particles to deposit on the walls of the mold forming a "green" body.

The green part is dried in a controlled process to minimize the stresses, distortion, and cracking. Then it is subject to a firing operation to fuse the particles together and produce the desired level of strength. Control of temperature and time can control the diffusion process and produce products with controlled grain size, pore size, and pore shape.