Slip casting nano-particle powders for making transparent ceramics

1. A method of making a transparent ceramic, comprising the steps of:

providing nano-ceramic powders in a processed or unprocessed form,

mixing said powders with de-ionized water, said step of mixing said powders with de-ionized water producing a slurry,

sonifying said slurry to completely wet said powder and suspend said powder in said de-ionized water,

separating very fine particles from said slurry,

molding said slurry, and

curing said slurry to produce the transparent ceramic.

2. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of providing nano-ceramic powders comprises providing flame spray pyrolysis nano-ceramic powders.

3. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of providing nano-ceramic powders comprises preparing powders by combustion of organometallic compounds that are heated and calcined to remove organics.

4. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of mixing said powders with de-ionized water comprises said powders with de-ionized water in the weight ratio of 5.3 parts said powder to 35 parts said de-ionized water.

5. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of sonifing said slurry comprises using an ultrasonic horn immersed in the slurry for sonifing said slurry.

6. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of sonifing said slurry comprises using a high shear mixer for sonifing said slurry.

7. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of separating very fine particles from said slurry comprises allowing said slurry to settle.

8. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of separating very fine particles from said slurry comprises allowing said slurry to settle producing a liquid suspension containing said very fine particles and larger particles and including decanting said larger particles.

9. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 8 wherein said decanted larger particles are discarded.

10. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of molding said slurry comprises decanting said very fine particles into a mold to a height approximately 3-7 times of desired final thickness of the transparent ceramic.

11. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of molding said slurry includes allowing said very fine particles sit for at least 24 hours.

12. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of molding said slurry produces a green body and wherein said green body is placed in an oven in air and heated.

13. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 12 wherein said step of heating said green body comprises heating said green body slowly at 1 degree/minute to 1000 C. for 1 hour.

14. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of curing said slurry to produce the transparent ceramic comprises sintering said slurry to produce the transparent ceramic.

15. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of curing said slurry to produce the transparent ceramic comprises sintering said slurry to produce a transparent ceramic laser gain media slab.

16. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of separating very fine particles from said slurry wherein said slurry contains said very fine particles and larger particles and wherein said step of separating very fine particles from said slurry comprises placing said slurry between electrodes in an electrophoresis apparatus and performing electrophoresis resulting in said larger particles being deposited on the electrode.

17. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 16 wherein said step of placing said slurry between electrodes in an electrophoresis apparatus comprises placing said slurry between electrodes in an electrophoresis apparatus for substantially one minute resulting in said larger particles being deposited on the electrode, discarding said larger particles, and leaving a remaining suspension of very fine particles.

18. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of molding said slurry includes the steps of forming a mold by preparing a mix plaster-of-Paris by mixing two parts of plaster-of-Paris by weight to one part by weight water to form a mix and pouring said mix into a container.

19. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 18 including the step of inserting a boundry wall into said mix and allowing said mix to cure for approximately 6 hours at ambient temperature.

20. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 18 including the step of inserting a boundry wall into said mix and placing said mold in a drying oven at 55°C. for approximately 12 hours.

21. The method of making a transparent ceramic of claim 1 wherein said step of molding said slurry includes the steps of preparing a container with a layer of cellulose fibers and superabsorbent polymers.

22. A method of making a transparent ceramic, comprising the steps of:

providing nano-ceramic powders in a processed or unprocessed form by preparing powders by combustion of organometallic compounds that are heated and calcined to remove organics,

mixing said powders with de-ionized water, said step of mixing said powders with de-ionized water producing a slurry,

sonifing said slurry to completely wet said powder and suspend said powder in said de-ionized water by using an ultrasonic horn immersed in the slurry for sonifing said slurry or using a high shear mixer for sonifing said slurry,

separating very fine particles from said slurry by allowing said slurry to settle producing a liquid suspension containing said very fine particles and larger particles and including decanting said larger particles,

molding said slurry, and

curing said slurry to produce the transparent ceramic.

23. A method of making a transparent ceramic, comprising the steps of:

providing nano-ceramic powders in a processed or unprocessed form by preparing powders by combustion of organometallic compounds that are heated and calcined to remove organics,

mixing said powders with de-ionized water, said step of mixing said powders with de-ionized water producing a slurry,

sonifing said slurry to completely wet said powder and suspend said powder in said de-ionized water by using an ultrasonic horn immersed in the slurry for sonifing said slurry or using a high shear mixer for sonifing said slurry,

separating very fine particles from said slurry by allowing said slurry to settle producing a liquid suspension containing said very fine particles and larger particles and including decanting said larger particles,

molding said slurry by forming a mold by preparing a mix plaster-of-Paris by mixing two parts of plaster-of-Paris by weight to one part by weight water to form a mix and pouring said mix into a container, and

curing said slurry to produce the transparent ceramic.

24. A method of making a transparent ceramic, comprising the steps of:

providing nano-ceramic powders in a processed or unprocessed form by preparing powders by combustion of organometallic compounds that are heated and calcined to remove organics,

mixing said powders with de-ionized water, said step of mixing said powders with de-ionized water producing a slurry,

sonifing said slurry to completely wet said powder and suspend said powder in said de-ionized water by using an ultrasonic horn immersed in the slurry for sonifing said slurry or using a high shear mixer for sonifing said slurry,

separating very fine particles from said slurry by allowing said slurry to settle producing a liquid suspension containing said very fine particles and larger particles and including decanting said larger particles, molding said slurry by forming a mold by preparing a container with a layer of cellulose fibers and superabsorbent polymers, and

curing said slurry to produce the transparent ceramic.