Abstract: The invention relates to(1) a method of preparing sintered shapes, comprising the steps of forming a green body from a mixture comprising (A) a major amount of at least one inorganic powder with (B) at least one reaction product of a alkanol-amine with a hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acylating agent provided that when the hydrocarbyl group of the acylating agent contains less than 40 carbon atoms then the carboxylic acylating agent is a polycarboxylic acylating agent; and (2) sintering the body. Sintered shapes made from the methods of the present invention have relatively high fired densities and small uniform grain sizes; and low porosity. The reaction products of the present invention help disperse the inorganic powder. These reaction products also improve deagglomeration of the inorganic powder and help prevent reagglomeration of the powder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing sintered shapes, comprising the steps of: (1) forming a green body from a mixture comprising (A) at least one inorganic powder with (B) at least one polymer derived from (a) at least two sulfo monomers or (b) a combination of (i) a sulfo monomer with (ii) at least one monomer selected from acrylic compounds, acrylonitriles, vinyl lactams and vinyl pyrrolidones and maleic acids, anhydrides or salts, provided the mixture is substantially free of polysaccharide; (2) sintering the body. Inorganic shapes made from the compositions of the present invention have relatively high fired densities; small uniform grain sizes; and relatively low porosity. The sulfo polymers of the present invention help disperse the inorganic powder. These polymers improve deagglomeration of the inorganic powder and also help prevent reagglomeration of the powder. The polymers provide divalent ion stability for systems using water containing divalent ions, such as hard water.