| Abstract Scope |
Nanoparticles tend to agglomerate due to adhesive Van der Waals forces. To overcome these adhesive forces and break down agglomerates, polyelectrolytes are a good choice as dispersant. They provide electrosteric stabilization which is a combination of purely electrostatic repulsion and polymeric repulsion. To obtain the desired dispersion, the interaction of the ceramic powder with dispersant and optimum dispersant amount should be carefully examined. Therefore, three commercial dispersants are evaluated with the aim of finding the best dispersant and the optimum dispersant amount for 20 wt% alumina toughened zirconia powder (TZ-3YS-20A & TZ-3Y-20A, TOSOH, Japan). The studied anionic dispersants, Darvan CN, Darvan 821A, and Dolapix CE 64 are all completely water-soluble. The optimum dispersant content is studied in the range of 0.25-1.50 "mg" ⁄"m" ^"2". Based on the visual inspection, sedimentation rate, rheology tests, and zeta potential measurements, the best dispersant and optimum amount are reported for alumina toughened zirconia powders. |