Aqueous gelcasting formulation for ceramic products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022098112-A1
Application number	US-202117549128-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 13, 2021
Priority date	Sep 26, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the manufacture of ceramic products by aqueous gelcasting. Exemplary ceramic products include sanitary ware, such as toilets and sinks. The process includes a slurrying step, a mixing step, a molding step involving aqueous gelcasting, a drying step, a glazing step, and a firing step.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A ceramic product having a formulation comprising:
at least one mineral oxide; at least one alkali aluminosilicate mineral configured to serve as a fluxing agent to reduce the melting point of the formulation; and colloidal silica.

2 . The ceramic product of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mineral oxide of the formulation includes silica and alumina.

3 . The ceramic product of claim 1 , wherein the at least one alkali aluminosilicate mineral of the formulation includes Feldspar or Nepheline Syenite.

4 . The ceramic product of claim 1 , wherein the formulation is a slurry comprising water.

5 . The ceramic product of claim 4 , wherein the at least one mineral oxide of the formulation constitutes about 10 wt. % to about 88 wt. % of the slurry.

6 . A formulation having a solid portion, the formulation comprising:
silica, wherein at least a portion of the silica comprises colloidal silica; alumina, wherein the alumina constitutes at least 15 wt. % of the solid portion; and at least one fluxing agent.

7 . The formulation of claim 6 , wherein the at least one fluxing agent is sourced from an alkali aluminosilicate mineral.

8 . The formulation of claim 7 , wherein the alkali aluminosilicate mineral is Feldspar.

9 . The formulation of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the silica and a portion of the alumina is sourced from the alkali aluminosilicate mineral.

10 . The formulation of claim 6 , wherein the formulation is a slurry further comprising a liquid portion.

11 . A ceramic product having the formulation of claim 6 .

12 . A formulation comprising:
a majority of silica and alumina, wherein at least a portion of the silica comprises colloidal silica; and a minority of at least one fluxing agent.

13 . The formulation of claim 12 , wherein silica is a primary component and alumina is a secondary component.

14 . The formulation of claim 12 , wherein the at least one fluxing agent comprises sodium oxide, potassium oxide, and calcium oxide.

15 . The formulation of claim 12 , wherein the formulation consists essentially of the silica, the alumina, and the at least one fluxing agent.

16 . A ceramic product having the formulation of claim 12 .

17 . A molded formulation comprising:
at least one mineral oxide constituting about 10 wt. % to about 88 wt. % of the formulation; at least one alkali aluminosilicate mineral, separate from the at least one mineral oxide, configured to serve as a fluxing agent to reduce the melting point of the formulation; colloidal silica; and water, wherein the molded formulation is gelled in a mold and configured to maintain a solid shape in the mold.

18 . The molded formulation of claim 17 , wherein the formulation is chemically gelled or freeze gelled.

19 . A molded object formed from the molded formulation of claim 17 , wherein the molded object is removed from the mold and dried to remove at least a portion of the water from the molded formulation.

Assignees

• Delta Faucet Co

Inventors

• Thomas Kurt J
• Bridgett Paul A V
• Veros Michael J
• Elmer Joseph A
• Dennis Nathanael W

Classifications

• Y02P40/60

  Production of ceramic materials or ceramic elements, e.g. substitution of clay or shale by alternative raw materials, e.g. ashes · CPC title

• C04B2235/3201

  Alkali metal oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof · CPC title

• C04B2235/6027

  Slip casting · CPC title

• C04B2235/3217

  Aluminum oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. bauxite, alpha-alumina · CPC title

• C04B35/62655

  Drying, e.g. freeze-drying, spray-drying, microwave or supercritical drying · CPC title