Fabrication of porous forsterite-spinel-periclase ceramics by transient liquid phase diffusion process for high-temperature thermal isolation

Abstract Porous forsterite-spinel-periclase ceramics with low thermal conductivity were synthesized via a transient liquid phase diffusion process by using pre-synthesized pellets and fused magnesia powder. The effects of sintering temperature on the pore formation, phase composition, sintering behavior, and properties of the resulting porous ceramics were investigated. The pre-synthesized pellets had a porous structure and contained a large amount of cordierite and enstatite. During the sintering progress, the pellets were converted into a transient liquid phase, which diffused into the solid MgO matrix. The liquid phase diffusion reaction promoted forsterite and spinel formation, which resulted in the in-situ formation of large pores. At elevated temperatures, the liquid phase disappeared and a large number of well-developed grains were simultaneously precipitated from the liquid phase. Porous ceramics with thermal conductivities of 0.42–0.48 W/(m·K) and refractoriness under load values of 1588 °C and 1624 °C were obtained after sintering at 1600 °C for 3 h.