Application of mechanochemical activation in production of zircon ceramics

The processes of preliminarily treatment of powders of various zircon concentrates when obtaining zircon ceramics are investigated. Based on the results of Raman spectroscopy, it is shown that, even at an insignificant content of impurities in the zircon concentrate, samples of powders with a small specific surface are prone to decomposition in the course of smelting at t = 1600A degrees C. Mechanochemical activation with additives of surfactant species yields an increase in the milling efficiency and sinterability of the powder. However, resistance to the thermal decomposition of the samples increases. Based on an activated powder without the addition of any sintering activators, almost single-phase zircon ceramics with a residual porosity of < 10% and a temperature of thermal decomposition over 1600A degrees C was obtained.