Porous α-alumina ceramics using boehmite and rice flour

Porous α-alumina ceramics have been prepared by powder and sol-gel routes from unseeded and α-Al₂O₃ seeded boehmite mixed with rice flour. Porosity increased and density decreased as the rice flour content increased in the green bodies, as expected. In general, the α-Al₂O₃ seeded boehmite samples showed higher bulk densities and improved Vicker's hardness than the unseeded ones. Rice flour appears to be a good additive to ceramic powders in the preparation of porous ceramics.