The gelcasting process with the aeration of ceramic suspensions allows the production of ceramic foams with a wide range of porosity (50-90vol.%.). One of the critical steps of the process is the setting of the foam, which is based on a gelling reaction by the in-situ polymerization of monomers previously added in the ceramic suspension. This reaction is inhibited by the presence of oxygen, which requires atmospheric control for the stabilization of the foam. In this work, the feasibility of producing alumina foams by the gelcasting process without atmospheric control was studied. For the foams production, two different foaming agents were tested. The physical and mechanical properties of ceramic foams, as well the microstructure, were evaluated and compared with those produced with the same foaming agents but with atmospheric control. The results obtained using the two procedures were similar and with potential to be applied with technological purposes.
ceramic foams; alumina; gelcasting process
