Tape casting

[2] The ceramic slurry is cast in a thin layer onto a flat surface and then dried and sintered.

[1] In this first published description from 1947 the process was described as:[5] "A machine is described which extrudes a ceramic slip with a resin binder on a moving belt.

The thin sheet is strong enough when dry to be stripped off and cut or punched to any desired flat shape and fired satisfactorily.

[6] The process involves several key steps: Preparation of the Slurry: The raw material, typically ceramic powder, is mixed with solvents, dispersants, binders, plasticizers, and other additives to form a uniformly dispersed and stable slurry.

This is the active component of the final product and the other contents, such as binder material and solvents have to be compatible with the powder.

[8] The solvent serves the purpose of allowing the powder to be cast, as if it were a liquid, and also to spread secondary components through the tape.

The surface on which is cast can be made from steel, glass, coated paper and polymers.

[1] Several processing steps may be executed depending on the product requirement, such as cutting, laminating, punching or thermal treatment.

[12] The process is used in the production of ceramic capacitors, polymer batteries, photovoltaics, electrodes for molten carbonate fuel cells.