Effect of silica sol on phase transition of alumina-mullite fibers

Duplex oxide ceramic fibers have excellent high temperature properties. However, controlling the microstructure of duplex oxide ceramic fibers is difficult and complexed. In this work, the effect of silica sols affecting the interaction of precursor sol-gel particles on the high-temperature phase transition and microstructure of alumina-mullite fibers was investigated. The results show that the silica sol affects the particle interactions and distribution in the mixed sol. Alumina-mullite fibers prepared from non-homogeneous precursor sols generated α-Al2O3 at 1400 °C, while fibers prepared from homogeneous precursor sols required higher temperatures. In addition, mullite (3Al2O3:2SiO2) with an orthogonal structure is more likely to be generated in the non-homogeneous Al2O3-SiO2 precursor sol. The prepared alumina-mullite fibers have a tensile strength of up to 1.68 GPa. Finally, the mechanism of the influence of silica-sol properties on the final organization of the alumina-mullite fiber was further discussed.