Gel route preparation of low fusing dental porcelain frit

Dental porcelain frits have been prepared by the gel route, a procedure involving solubilization of alkalies, boron, rare earth, and other compounds in an alumina-silica sol. Using this procedure, porcelain frits suitable for metal-ceramic application have been prepared that fire to maturity at temperatures lower than current commercial porcelains. Solubilities, translucencies, thermal expansion coefficients, dilatometric softening temperatures, and flexure strengths are within the ranges of current commercial porcelains. The high degree of dispersion of pigments and phosphors made possible by gel route technology and the technology's ability to disperse crystalline phases to strengthen porcelain offers many processing advantages. Gel route technology also offers a great degree of freedom in modifying porcelain properties.