LAUSR

Abstract Porous silica/mullite ceramics with high porosity, sufficient compressive strength and low thermal conductivity were successfully prepared by foam-gelcasting method using silicon kerf waste as raw material. Microstructures of the as-prepared porous ceramics were found complex, depicting large-sized spherical pores, circular window pores, and small-sized pores present on internal walls. Effects of temperature on porosity, bulk density, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity were investigated. The thermal conductivity of the samples with a bulk density of 0.65 g/cm3, a porosity of 86.7%, and a compressive strength of 3.19 MPa was 0.178 W/(m·K), indicating that it can be used in the field of thermal insulation materials.