Fabrication of Textured Bulk Hematite by Slip Casting in a Strong Magnetic Field

Abstract

The stable colloidal suspension of goethite was consolidated to a bulk by slip casting under a magnetic field of 2 - 12 Tesla. The obtained goethite green body was then sintered at 900-1200 degree centigrade external to the magnetic field, resulting in a topotactic transformation of goethite into hematite. SEM & XRD results show that the transformed bulk hematite was aligned with c-axis along the direction of the magnetic field, which was applied during the slip casting. Magnetic anisotropy increased with the increase of structural anisotropy of bulk hematite.