In the production of ceramic components, specific and better properties are required to produce pieces according to the project. One example of the importance of the dimensional control is the production of piezoelectric ceramic for hydro-acoustic transducers. Its processing is not trivial, is expensive and risky to handle (due to the presence of lead), particularly for hemispheric shape. For the optimization of the processing (mechanical consolidation and sintering) of these ceramics, other materials may be used, such as alumina, less aggressive to the environment, with higher availability, easier processing, low risk for handling, as well as low cost. In this work two compositions based on alumina were used, A (96.1% Al2O3, 3.0% SiO2, 0.9% MgO) and B (99.1% Al2O3, 0.9% MgO), and two sintering temperatures, 1550 °C and 1650 °C. The objective of this study was to produce a ceramic with complex hemispherical geometry, high density and relative dimensional control, consolidated by dry pressing. It was observed that the best ratio of dimensional control and high densification was achieved with the A composition and sintering temperature 1550 °C, by liquid phase formed by adding SiO2. Although the results for composition B sintered at 1650 °C were apparently the best, this composition had densification much lower than expected. With the results of the relationship between dimensional control and processing can carry some of the steps used for the production of PZT-based ceramics with high density, by a simple mechanical consolidation and complex geometry (hemispherical) required for hydro-acoustic transducers.
ceramics processing; complex geometry; dimensional control
