This study is concerning the effect of additives on sintering of magnesia. The seven different compounds with the same cation, calcium ion, were selected as the additives. These additives were mixed with magnesium hydroxide, and calcined at 900°C. The resultant specimens were fired at 1500°or 1600°C and their sinterability and microstructure were examined.
Calcium hydroxide, carbonate and oxalate which decomposed to lime during calcination, had little effects on periclase crystal during the calcination, but at the latter stage of sintering, the lime retarded the growth of periclase grains and prevented pores to be engulfed into the periclase grains, and consequently promoted densification of the magnesia.
Calcium nitrate which melted during calcination promoted comparatively well the crystallite growth of periclase and improved compactness of the calcined material and enhanced its densification markedly at the latter stage.
Calcium chloride and sulfate which also melted during calcination or initial stage of the firing promoted the grain growth of periclase and delayed the sintering of magnesia at the initial stage, but at the latter stage the grain growth was suppressed by their moderate grain size and the presence of lime, and finally their densification was promoted.
Calcium fluoride, accompanied with its decomposition during firing, promoted remarkably the early stage sintering of the magnesia.
Thus each calcium compound, all of which, after the firing, changed to the same oxide, lime, gave markedly different effects on the calcination and sintering of magnesia and finally promoted the sintering of magnesia.
The optimum amount of additives for the sintering was about 2wt% as CaO, which was slightly larger than the solubility limit into periclase at temperature of 1500°C to 1600°C.
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