Rheology of stabilized cerium-gadolinium oxide (CGO) colloidal system

Achievement of stable dispersion with high solid loadings and low viscosity is crucial issue in ceramic films processing. In this work, systematic analysis of the rheological properties of CGO colloidal suspension was performed. The study aimed to define methods for evaluating fully stabilized conditions and critical parameters. The influences of dispersant and inorganic contents on suspensions properties were investigated. The optimization of dispersant content was achieved by studying flow behaviour of suspensions at different amounts of dispersant. Rotational and oscillatory tests were performed to study the inorganic loading impact on the suspension rheology. To identify a realistic load limit, the parameter h was proposed. It defines the highest volume fraction to meet the processing requirements. A simple method for its determination was also proposed. The maximum solid volume fraction (m) was evaluated using a simple linear method. An extensive comparison with the commonly used non-linear physical models was performed.