Tape casting thin, continuous, homogenous, and flexible tapes of ZrB ₂

Using an organic solvent-based formulation, flexible and homogeneous ZrB₂ tapes were cast for potential use as advanced aerospace exploration vehicles. Dispersant concentrations were optimized for attrition-milled ZrB₂ powder using gravitational sedimentation and viscosity measurements. Tape cast slurry formulations with varying amounts of binder (6-8 vol%), plasticizer (7-11 vol%), and solids loading (20-23 vol%) were used to optimize the casting slurry. An optimal slurry formulation was determined based on cast tape uniform particle distribution and flexibility without cracking. Thermal gravimetric analysis of the optimized tape was used to create a binder burnout schedule that did not alter the tape structure or particle distribution. Our organic solvent-based tape casting approach results in minimum oxygen contamination after colloidal processing and robust cast tapes with a thickness of 280 μm and green density of ∼41% theoretic density after binder burnout.