The invention relates to(1) a method of preparing sintered shapes, comprising the steps of forming a green body from a mixture comprising (A) a major amount of at least one inorganic powder with (B) at least one reaction product of a alkanol-amine with a hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acylating agent provided that when the hydrocarbyl group of the acylating agent contains less than 40 carbon atoms then the carboxylic acylating agent is a polycarboxylic acylating agent; and (2) sintering the body. Sintered shapes made from the methods of the present invention have relatively high fired densities and small uniform grain sizes; and low porosity. The reaction products of the present invention help disperse the inorganic powder. These reaction products also improve deagglomeration of the inorganic powder and help prevent reagglomeration of the powder.