Optimization of Barium Titanate Slip for Tape Casting Using Design of Experiments

A full-factorial design of experiments with three input factors and two levels for each factor including center points was utilized for the preparation and characterization of twelve types of $BaTiO_3$ slips for tape casting. Ceramic powders with different particle sizes, different milling methods such as high energy milling and conventional ball milling, and two types of dispersant with different polymeric species were chosen as input factors in order to investigate their effects on slip and on green tape properties. Tape casting, a small rectangular-shaped K-square preparation, characterization and quantitative data analysis using statistical software were followed. Ceramic powder was the most significant among three input factors for the output responses of slip viscosity and green tape density, showing more favorable results with large particles than with very fine ones. In addition, high energy milling for only 30 min was more efficient than 24h of conventional ball milling in terms of powder dispersion and milling. The optimum condition based on the experimental results was a slip exposed to high energy milling with large ceramic particles along with a methylethyl acetate dispersant.