Dextrin plasticizers for aqueous colloidal processing of alumina

Rheological experiments were conducted to investigate the applicability of dextrins as plasticizers for the aqueous, colloidal processing of alumina ceramics. Upon the addition of 1–10 wt.% of dextrins, aqueous suspensions of 20 vol.% α-alumina exhibited a transition from strongly-flocculated, pseudoplastic behavior to a low-viscosity, Newtonian-like state. We evaluated rheological properties as a function of a range of polysaccharide molecular weights between 900 and 63 000 Daltons. Dextrins of molecular weight between 6450 and 15,000 Daltons were the most effective from the standpoint of cost and rheological performance.