Effect of Alumina Doping on Properties of Macroporous Silicon Carbide Supports

Macroporous silicon carbide (α-SiC) supports prepared by a dry-pressing method were sintered in air by using α-SiC powder (the average particle size of 27.6 μm) and submicron-sized silicon carbide and alumina as sintering agents. Effect of alumina doping on the structure and properties of macroporous silicon carbide support was investigated. The effect of the doping amount of alumina on the pore size, porosity, bending strength, and pure water flux of the SiC supports was also investigated. SiC support can be obtained at 1 450℃ when alumina powder of 10% (in mass fraction) is added. The pore size, porosity, three-point bending strength and pure water flux of this support are 0.3 μm, 31.8%, 39.1 MPa, and 786 L·m^-2·h^-1·bar^-1, respectively. The three-point bending strength of the support is 18 MPa after corroded in 10% NaOH (80℃) for 4 h.