Abstract
In order to fabricate the porous $Al_2O_3$ with dispersion of nano-sized Cu particles, freeze-drying of camphene/$Al_2O_3$ slurry and solution chemistry process using Cu-nitrate are introduced. Camphene slurries with 10 vol% $Al_2O_3$ was frozen at $-25^{\circ}C$. Pores were generated by sublimation of the camphene during drying in air. The sintered samples at 1400 and $1500^{\circ}C$ showed the same size of large pores which were aligned parallel to the sublimable vehicles growth direction. However, the size of fine pores in the internal walls of large pores decreased with increase in sintering temperature. It was shown that Cu particles with the size of 100 nm were homogeneously dispersed on the surfaces of the large pores. Antibacterial test using fungus revealed that the porous $Al_2O_3$/1 vol% Cu composite showed antifungal property due to the dispersion of Cu particles. The results are suggested that the porous composites with required pore characteristics and functional property can be fabricated by freeze-drying process and addition of functional nano particles by chemical method.
