| abstract |
The invention relates to an improved process for producing a fired ceramic oxide material, in which a ceramic powder is dispersed in an aqueous solution contains a dispersant containing as active constituent a terpolymer comprising from about 10 to about 90 mol% of (meth)acrylic acid, from about 5 to about 85 mol% of (meth)acrylamide and from about 5 to about 85 mol% of sulphoalkyl(meth)acrylamide and having a molecular weight of from about 4,000 to about 80,000, and in which the sulphoalkyl(meth)acrylamide contains a radical having the general structural formula: <IMAGE> where R1 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group preferably having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R is a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and X<(+)> is a cation, preferably Na<+>, NH4<+>, H<+>, K<+> and Ca <++>. The slurry containing the dispersed ceramic oxide powder is spray-dried, compacted (pressed) while it is essentially dry, and heated to form a fired ceramic material. |