Forming single-phase laminates via the gelcasting technique

Single-phase laminates of iron titanate were formed by gel-casting in both the presence and absence of a magnetic field to produce alternating layers of textured and nontextured microstructure, respectively. X-ray analysis was performed on each lamina verifying that alignment was maintained throughout processing. Tunnel cracks were found in trilayer laminates (nontextured/textured/nontextured) when the alignment direction was parallel to the interface between layers. The cracks are consistent with a stress profile of residual tension parallel to the interface in the textured layer.