Preparation and properties of rare earth doped Al₂TiO₅-TiO₂-SiO₂ complex phase foam ceramics

A foam ceramics of Al₂TiO₂-TiO₂-SiO₂ doped with CeO₂ and Er₂O₃ was prepared by organic foam soaking. The effects of doping CeO₂ and Er₂O₃ on the mechanical strength of Al₂TiO₅-TiO₂-SiO₂ complex phase ceramics were investigated. Results show that adding rare-earths can obviously enhance their bending strength of the ceramic. Al₂TiO₅-TiO₂-SiO₂ complex phase ceramics doped by 0.5% (in mass) CeO₂+0.5% (in mass) Er₂O₃ were sintered at 1250°C, the bending strength reaches 177.4 MPa; its thermal expansion coefficient is 5.2 × 10^-6/°C at 50-1000°C, and its appearance porosity is more than 76%.