Low-cost and environment-friendly MgO was used as a new gelling and consolidating agent to fabricate porous Al 2 O 3 -based ceramics via a gel casting routine. Effects of 800 • C calcined additions of MgO (.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 wt%, respectively) on open porosity (OP), pore size distribution, gas flux, and microstructure of the porous ceramics were investigated deliberately. The experimental results showed that 800 • C calcined MgO exhibits excellent gelling and consolidating performance at 80 • C, mainly owing to the hydration reaction between MgO and H 2 O and thus results in high-quality porous Al 2 O 3 -based ceramics without deformation and cracking. The Al 2 O 3 -water suspensions with different MgO additions have good flowability at room temperature. Moreover, water absorption, open porosity, and gas flux of the as-prepared porous ceramics increase remarkably with rising of MgO addition. Furthermore, MgO addition significantly suppresses the abnormal growth of Al 2 O 3 grains, and thus the microstructure of the porous Al 2 O 3 -based ceramics becomes more uniform. This technique of gel casting using MgO as a new gelling and consolidating agent offers an alternative routine for a large-scale production of porous ceramics.