Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Procedures for the manufacture of thin wall ceramic components from particulate suspensions using plastic forming methods which employ extensional flows are described. These include vacuum forming, blow moulding and film blowing. In order to understand how to select materials and to adjust the composition of such suspensions, the factors which control suspension rheology are identified. The measurement of extensional viscosity of ceramic suspensions is reported and compared with shear flow measurements.