Crosslinked Starch Pore Formers for High Porosity Ceramics
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Solution Overview
Problem
High porosity ceramic bodies face challenges in maintaining strength and resistance to cracking due to high starch concentrations, which limit their porosity levels and lead to cracking issues during drying and storage, making it difficult to achieve high porosity without compromising structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating cross-linked starches as pore formers in high concentrations up to 20% by weight, which reduces interactions with water and environmental conditions, resulting in lower shrinkage, longer storage life, and higher porosity levels without cracking, enabling the creation of ceramic bodies with porosity greater than 50% and larger mean pore diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high concentrations of native starch are used as pore formers, then porosity levels increase, but shrinkage and cracking occur during drying and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical structure of starch through cross-linking. This transformation changes the physical and chemical properties of starch, making it resistant to swelling and shrinkage during drying and storage. The cross-linked starch maintains porosity while preventing cracking, resolving the contradiction between high porosity and cracking resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining cross-linked starch with ceramic-forming powders and binders. The cross-linked starch acts as a stable pore-forming agent that works synergistically with other components to achieve high porosity while maintaining structural integrity during processing and storage.
2Quantity of substance
If high concentrations of starch are used to achieve high porosity, then porosity levels increase, but strength of the ceramic body decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of starch by introducing cross-links, which fundamentally alters its behavior during drying and firing. The cross-linked structure prevents excessive swelling and maintains dimensional stability, allowing high porosity to be achieved without compromising the mechanical strength of the final ceramic body.
3Quantity of substance
If native starch is used as pore former, then porosity is achieved, but interactions with water cause shrinkage and limited storage life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by chemically modifying starch through cross-linking, which fundamentally changes its interaction with water. The cross-linked starch resists swelling and shrinkage caused by moisture absorption, maintaining dimensional stability during storage and handling while still enabling high porosity in the final ceramic product.
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
The use of cross-linked starches allows for the production of ceramic bodies with enhanced porosity and pore size distribution while maintaining mechanical strength, reducing cracking risks and enabling higher porosity levels unattainable with native starches, and offering a lower-cost alternative to synthetic polymers.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating cross-linked starches as pore formers in high concentrations up to 20% by weight, which reduces interactions with water and environmental conditions
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are green bodies comprising at least one ceramic-forming powder; at least one binder; and at least one cross-linked starch present in an amount of at least about 20% by weight as a super addition. Further disclosed herein is a method of making a porous ceramic body comprising mixing at least one ceramic-forming powder, at least one solvent such as water, at least one binder, and at least one cross-linked starch present in an amount of about 20% by weight as a super addition to form a batch composition; extruding the batch composition to form a green body; drying the green body; and firing the green body to form a porous ceramic body. Also disclosed herein are methods of screening a green body for making a porous ceramic body.