Strength of Tape Cast and Laminated Ceramics

Monolithic A1 2 O 3 ceramic laminates were fabricated via a tape casting process. The strength of single tapes was compared with that of laminates, using biaxial flexure tests. The fracture stress was similar. However, the laminates presented a lower Weibull modulus. The feasibility of eliminating or diminishing void‐type flaws present in the green tapes was also assessed. To this end, tapes were first punctured, then laminated and sintered, and the effect of these known flaws in the final ceramic was assessed in four‐point flexure tests. The thermocompression of green tapes during laminate fabrication was found to modify the flaws to a more forgiving morphology.