Spherical-type zirconia granules are successfully fabricated by a spray-drying process using a water solvent slurry, and the change in the green density of the granule powder compacts is examined according to the organic polymers used. Two organic binders, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), which are dissolved in a water solvent and have different degrees of polymerization, are applied to the slurry with a plasticizer (polyethylene glycol). The granules employing a binder with a higher degree of polymerization (PVA) are not broken under a uniaxial press; consequently, they exhibit a poor green density of 2.4 g/cm3. In contrast, the granule powder compacts employing a binder with a lower degree of polymerization (HEMA) show a higher density of 2.6 g/cm3 with an increase in plasticizer content. The packing behavior of the granule powders for each organic polymer system is studied by examining the microstructure of the fracture surface at different applied pressures.

• 정지환(국립목포대학교 신소재공학과) | Ji-Hwan Jung (Department of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, Republic of Korea)
• 이상진(국립목포대학교 세라믹산업기술연구소) | Sang-Jin Lee (Research Institute of Ceramic Industry and Technology, Mokpo National University, Muan 58554, Republic of Korea) Corresponding author