Method for producing transparent ceramics

A method for producing transparent ceramics, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a candidate composition containing a binder, and at least one of a dispersant and a plasticizer;
• dissolving the candidate composition in a solvent, then reducing a contained solvent volume to 0.1% by mass or less, and measuring a glass transition temperature;
• selecting the candidate composition as an organic additive composition if the candidate composition has a glass transition temperature of 25° C. or more and 60° C. or less;
• preparing the organic additive composition containing the binder, and at least one of the dispersant and the plasticizer, and having the composition obtained in the selecting step;
• pulverizing a raw material for sintering formed from metal oxide powder and the organic additive composition to obtain a pulverized mixture, wherein the mass of the binder in the organic additive composition is 0.5 to 2 parts by mass when the mass of the metal oxide powder is set to be 100 parts by mass;
• granulating the pulverized mixture;
• sintering the granulated mixture to obtain a sintered body;
• pressurizing the sintered body, wherein the pressurized, sintered body does not contain any bubble defects having a size of 30 μm to 1000 μm;
• and
• wherein the binder comprises one of the following:
• a) a vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymer,
• b) a vinyl butyral-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymer containing polyvinyl butyral as a main component,
• c) hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, or
• d) an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.