A study of micropyretic synthesis of slip cast colloidal silica-aluminum-carbon exothermic syste

The feasibility of micropyretic synthesis in $rm Alsb2Osb3$-SiC composites through the slip casting route has been investigated. The slip rheology and combustion kinetics in a colloidal silica suspended SiO$sb2$-Al-C system has been studied as an example of such processing. Colloidal silica functioned as a binder and also constituted part of the combustion source in the green compact. The degree of conversion and porosity level of the micropyretically synthesized product have been found to depend on the rheology of the suspensions including the solid concentration, particle size and pH value of the suspensions. The major phases, $alpha$-$rm Alsb2Osb3$ and $beta$-SiC, in the composite produced with this new method were homogeneously distributed within each other. A modified analytical model for the slip cast micropyretic system has also been developed considering slip parameters and the thermophysical and chemical properties of the reactants. Results obtained from the model are noted to be in close agreement with the experimental values.