Abstract: Commercial polyurethane sponges with three dimensional network and open cells, were used as the templates to produce SiC based reticulated porous ceramics (RPCs)
from ceramic slurries by the replication process. Surface modification of polyurethane sponges was carried out by a surfactant with hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) value>12.
This pretreatment is beneficial to increase the adhesion of the slurry to the sponge. Effects of slurry solids content, pore diameter of sponge, distance between the
rolls and the number of passes on the loading of slurry on the sponges and macrostructure of RPCs, were investigated in detail. The results indicate that the macrostructure
of RPCs depends strongly on the slurry solids content and relative distance. The relative density of RPCs has a good linear relationship with the relative distance,
which is very important to predict and optimize the permeability and mechanical properties of RPCs.

Key words: reticulated porous ceramics, impregnating process, silicon carbide, slurry