Effect of Minor Additions on Sintering of MgO

Fourteen selected metal ions were added to magnesium basic carbonate, and the MgO obtained after calcining was fired at various temperatures to determine the effect of the additives on the sintering behavior. The magnesia without additives showed rapid increase in density with firing temperature near 1200° C. The majority of the additives caused increased density, at a given firing treatment, but some were without effect and one (Cr) dramatically inhibited sintering in certain percentages. It is believed that most of the additives which aided sintering did so by entering into the magnesia lattice and creating defects, although at least one (V) clearly promoted sintering by liquid formation.