Low cost ceramic moulding composites: materials and manufacturing technology

Low cost ceramic moulding compounds/composites are composed of inorganic metal silicates, fillers and different types of chopped fibre reinforcements, such as glass fibres. This research investigated manufacturing process of a series of ceramic moulding compounds that could be moulded at modest temperature (∼150°C) and pressure (0–8 MPa). This manufacturing process replicated a process of the fibre reinforced polymeric moulding composites or dough moulding compounds. The conventional polymeric matrix of the dough moulding compounds has been replaced by a soluble metal silicates based on an inorganic system which can be compounded with fibres, minerals or synthetic fillers and hardening additives, to produce a thick paste or a doughy substance, so called ceramic dough moulding compounds. The ceramic dough moulding compounds demonstrated a good handle ability and can be adjusted by the viscosity of the matrix through the use of various amount of fillers and additives. The mechanical properties of the compounds have been tested and additional formulation changes have been introduced to maintain desirable processing characteristics.