Ceramic Composite Sintering for Bright Red Pigment Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing colored ceramics struggle to produce a bright red color, as pigments typically diffuse into the ceramic during sintering, resulting in pale and aesthetically uninteresting shades of orange or brown, with no effective red color pigment maintaining its color post-sintering.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a metal oxide or metalloid-based matrix suited for allowing light to pass, combined with a mineral pigment having a breakdown temperature higher than the densification temperature of the matrix, where the mixture is sintered under pressure greater than 80 MPa, allowing the pigment's color to diffuse and maintain vividness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional sintering is used to densify the ceramic matrix, then the matrix achieves sufficient density, but the pigment breaks down and loses its color
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pressure (80-200 MPa) during sintering to lower the densification temperature of the matrix below the breakdown temperature of the pigment. This parameter change (adding pressure) allows the matrix to densify at temperatures where the pigment remains stable, resolving the contradiction between achieving matrix density and preserving pigment color.
2Stability of the object's composition
If high pressure (≥80 MPa) is applied during sintering to preserve pigment color, then the pigment maintains its color, but the energy consumption and equipment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces pressure as a new parameter in the sintering process (80-200 MPa), which enables pigment color stability without requiring excessively high temperatures. While this does add equipment complexity, it provides a controlled and manageable approach compared to alternative solutions, achieving the desired color stability with reasonable equipment requirements.
3Illumination intensity
If the matrix is made transparent to allow light passage, then color vividness improves, but the matrix requires lower densification temperature which conflicts with pigment stability requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pressure (80-200 MPa) during sintering to enable the matrix to achieve density at lower temperatures. This allows the use of transparent matrices (like alumina or zirconia) that can be densified below the pigment breakdown temperature, simultaneously achieving both light transmission for color vividness and pigment color stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the production of ceramic composite materials with a wide color palette, including bright red, by ensuring the pigment's color is visible from within the matrix, increasing the material's pigmentation surface and color vividness.
Implementation Method 1
sintering of said mixture of powders at some sintering temperature and under a pressure greater than or equal to 80 MPa sufficient in order that the densification temperature of the matrix under said pressure is below the breakdown temperature of the mineral pigment
Implementation Method 2
during the sintering phase, the pigment is in general going to diffuse into the ceramic which is white and which in that way is going to take on the color of the pigment
Data Source
AI summary
Method for manufacturing a composite material combining a metal oxide or metalloid based matrix suited for allowing light to pass, and a mineral pigment dispersed in the matrix, the method comprising a step of mixing the mineral pigment in powder form with the matrix in powder form, and a step of sintering of the mixture under sufficient pressure such that the densification temperature of the matrix under said pressure is below the breakdown temperature of the mineral pigment, where the sintering temperature is greater than or equal to the densification temperature of the matrix and below the breakdown temperature of the mineral pigment.