LOW-TEMPERATURE SYNTHESIS OF FINE-POROUS CORUNDUM BASED ON INCORPORATED GRAPHENE NANOSTRUCTURES

Abstract

In the present paper, the effect of the addition of graphene nanostructures and 3 mass % TiO₂ on the microstructure and properties of sintered corundum ceramics were studied. Fine-porous corundum ceramics were obtained by the method of solid-phase sintering at relatively low temperatures of 1450^oC, by adding graphene nanostructures in an amount of 2 % or 20 %. To lower the synthesis temperature, 3 mass % TiO₂ was added to the initial ceramic blends. 
As a result of the solid solution formed between Al₂O₃ and TiO₂, a well-sintered corundum ceramic is obtained at synthesis temperature lower than that of pure corundum - 1450^oС. For the characterization of the initial blends and the ceramic samples, the methods of X-ray phase analysis, infrared spectroscopy, SEM, TEM EDS and visual microscopy were used. Besides, the basic physicochemical properties of the samples synthesized based on corundum were determined, e.g. water absorption (WA, %), apparent density (AD, %) and apparent (open) porosity (Pa, %).