ELECTROPHORETIC DEPOSITION OF ADVANCED CERAMICS

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has attracted huge attention in the recent years due to its ease and cost effectiveness in the forming of ceramic components. In the present work, forming of Zirconia and PZT (PbZr_0.5 Ti_0.5O₃) films using EPD technique are studied. Al₂O₃ substrates are used as the cathode, on which ceramic films were deposited. Fine ceramics powders were dispersed in ethanol to form suspension. HNO₃ acid was found to be an effective additive for the good deposition. The applied voltage, current and time of deposition were found to be important factors for the formation of the films. The deposition process was characterized by the deposition thickness as a function of voltage and the sintered microstructure. The experimental deposit thickness obtained is also compared to theoretical prediction.