Open-pore sintered glass-ceramics as carrier material for biotechnological use

Abstract

Open-pore carriers with defined open porosity up to 45 % for biotechnological use were manufactured by sintering and crystallization of glass powders of cordierite stoichiometry. The stop of the shrinkage caused by a surface crystallization of the glass ("sinter blockade") is utilized to stabilize a desired pore volume without filier or foaming aids. Glass powders of the stoichiometric composition of cordierite (2MgO · 2AI₂O₃ · 5SiO₂) with different grain size distributions were used as starting materials. The efficiency of the sinter blockade and thereby the stabilized porosity of the resulting compact mainly depends on the surface nucleation density at the Single glass particles which can be adjusted by powder processing. Furtheron, the chosen grain size distribution of the glass powders and the sintering process parameters (heating rate, temperature, heating time) are important factors to control the sintering behaviour. Samples of carrier bodies produced by this way are tested and evaluated quantitatively as carriers for biofilms in a biotechnological process for decomposition of pollutants in a synthetic model waste water system.