Papers by Keyword: Liquid Phase Sintering (LPS)

Abstract: Alumina reinforced aluminum matrix composites (Al-5wt.%Si-Al₂O₃) fabricated by powder metallurgy through hot isotactic pressing were sintered in different processes, i.e. solid and liquid phase sintering. Optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques were used to characterize the sintered composites. The effects of solid phase and liquid phase sintering on density, microstructure, microhardness, compression and shear strength were investigated. It was found that in situ chemical reaction was completed in solid phase sintering, but the composites had lower microhardness, comprehension and shear strength due to low density and segregation of alumina and Si particles in microstructure. Segregation of reinforcement particles in solid phase sintering resulted from character of solid reaction and Si diffusion at high temperature over a long hold time.

Abstract: TZP yttria-stabilized zirconia powder was mixed with two types of glasses as sintering additives: CAS glass and a bioactive glass. These additions were designed toward the material applications as bioceramics. The glassy phase was chosen to promote liquid phase sintering at lower temperature, when compared to pure material. This procedure contributed to reduce the fabrication costs while keeping the material biocompatibility. Each type of glass was added in concentrations of 1, 3, and 5 wt%. The prepared powders were uniaxially pressed at 50 MPa, and then sintered at 1300°C for two hours. The sintering behavior was evaluated by measuring the final sintered densities. It was found that the samples with bioactive glass additions were denser than those with CAS glass. Zirconia TZP powders without glassy additions would not sinter in this temperature. The microstructure of the sintered samples was characterized by SEM and XRD. The sintered ceramics exhibited both submicrometric and uniform grains. The analyzed grain sizes were slightly lower for the samples with CAS additions than for those with bioactive glass additions.

Abstract: The BCB (BaCu(B2O5)) powders were synthesized by solid state reaction method and its effects on the microstructures, the phase formation and the microwave dielectric properties of MCT (Mg0.95Ca0.05TiO3) ceramics were investigated. BaO and B2O3 first forms BaB2O4, and then BaB2O4 reacts with CuO forming BCB. The sintering temperature of MCT ceramics with as-synthesized BCB addition can be effectively lowered from 1450°C to 1100°C due to the liquid phase effect. The formation of second phase (MgTi2O5) was restrained. The 3wt% BCB-doped MCT ceramics sintered at 1100°C for 3h have optimum microwave dielectric properties of Kr=21.5, Q×f=28000GHz, and TCF=-3.3ppm/°C. Obviously, BCB could be a suitable sintering aid that improves densification and microwave dielectric properties of the MCT ceramics.

Abstract: The use of powder metallurgy for near net shape sintering of superalloy could lead to major savings in machining time and material. The main challenge in sintering Inconel 718 is to avoid the formation of a prior particle boundary (PPB) network that is deleterious to the mechanical properties. Using the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technique, it is believed that Inconel 718 powders could be sintered without forming a PPB network due to the fast heating rate achieved and the reported cleaning effect of particle surfaces by the interparticle arc discharges. In this study, Inconel 718 was consolidated to near-full density at 1200°C under 50 MPa of pressure with heating rates ranging from 20°C/min to 800°C/min. The densification behavior of the powder was studied through the analysis of the densification curves and observation of the microstructure evolution from interrupted tests. The fast densification of Inconel 718 in SPS was linked to the formation of a supersolidus liquid phase due to the nature of the heating in this technique.

Abstract: The B₂O₃-CuO oxide mixture (abbreviated as BC) was selected to lower the sintering temperature of (Ca_0.9375Sr_0.0625)_0.25(Li_0.5Sm_0.5)_0.75TiO₃ (abbreviated as CSLST) microwave dielectric ceramics by solid sate reaction technique. The effects of BC doping amounts on the crystal structure, microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of the ceramics were investigated. For the ceramic sample with the composition of CSLST + 5 wt% BC, its sintering temperature was reduced to 1000 °C as compared to 1200 °C for pure CSLST. In addition to the obtained good microwave dielectric properties as follows: ε_r = 80.4, Q×f = 1380 GHz, τ_f = -32.89 ×10^-6/°C, this ceramic was a desirable high-permittivity microwave dielectric candidate for low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) applications.

Abstract: Using Li₂O-B₂O₃-SiO2 (LBS) glass and LiF as a liquid phase sintering additive, the effects of it on the microstructure and properties of 16CaO-9Li₂O-12Sm₂O₃-63TiO₂（CLST）ceramics were investigated. The results indicated that the compound sintering aids of LBS glass and LiF reduced the sintering temperature of CLST from 1300 °C to 950°C. Compared with the sample doped single LBS glass, the optimum dielectric properties, Kr=81, Tanδ=0.0073 could be obtained when the CLST ceramic samples doped 3 wt% LBS glass and 0.25 wt% LiF were sintered at 950°C for 3 h.

Abstract: This paper reports the influence of sintering additives (RE2O3, Al2O3RE2O3, RE = Yb, Y and Gd, 13 vol%) and mixing effect of 30 nm SiC powder with 800 nm SiC powder on phases of grain boundaries, grain size of SiC, fracture toughness and strength of SiC hot-pressed at 1950°C under 39 MPa of applied pressure. Rare earth ions were uniformly adsorbed on negatively charged SiC particles with 150 nm Al2O3 particles in aqueous suspensions at pH 5. A rapid densification of SiC with one component RE2O3 occurred above 1700°C when a liquid of SiO2 (formed on SiC particles)RE2O3 system was formed. The Al2O3RE2O3 additives lowered a liquid formation temperature to 14001500°C and enhanced the densification rate of SiC. An increased solubility of 30 nm SiC in a liquid during dissolution-precipitation process provided an amorphous phase of SiCSiO2Al2O3RE2O3 system at grain boundaries and suppressed the grain growth of SiC. The fracture toughness of dense SiC was dominated by the grain boundary thickness controlled by grain size of SiC and amount of oxide additives. Mixing of 30 nm SiC with 800 nm SiC improved greatly the strength of SiC with two component oxides and the mean flexural strengths reached 740810 MPa.

Abstract: The compressive stress-strain relation (room temperature) of SiC compact (75 vol% 800 nm SiC- 25 vol% 30 nm SiC) hot-pressed with 1.6 vol% Al2O3- 0.83 vol% Gd2O3 at 1950 °C was examined at a crosshead speed of 0.05 mm/min. The dense SiC (97.8 ± 1.5 % theoretical density) possessed 796 MPa of average flexural strength, 5.27 MPa・m1/2 of fracture toughness, 8.1 of Weibull modulus, and 475 GPa of average flexural Young’s modulus. The strains of SiC compacts along directions of height and width changed nonlinearly with applied compressive stress. The apparent Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio decreased with increasing strain along the direction of height and reached constant values of 275 ± 59 GPa and 0.214 ± 0.05, respectively. The steady-state compressive Young’s modulus was independent of the flexural strength.

Abstract: Silicon nitride is recognised as a high performance material for both wear resistant and high temperature structural applications. Oxide sintering additives such as yttrium oxide and alumina are used to provide conditions for liquid phase sintering, during which the additives react with surface silica present on the Si3N4 particles and some of the nitride to form an oxynitride liquid which allows densification and transformation of - to -Si3N4 and on cooling remains as an intergranular oxynitride glass. This paper provides an overview of liquid phase sintering of silicon nitride ceramics, grain boundary oxynitride glasses and the effects of chemistry and structure on properties. As nitrogen substitutes for oxygen in oxynitride glasses, increases are observed in glass transition and softening temperatures, viscosities, elastic moduli and microhardness. These property changes are compared with known effects of grain boundary glass chemistry in silicon nitride ceramics.

Abstract: In this study the formation of the liquid phase during sintering process of Fe-Cu-Sn-Pb system was investigated. In order to reach this purpose a new material based on iron powder was developed using PM technologies. Additions like copper, tin and lead were added to iron powder and the mixture was sintered in dry hydrogen atmosphere at different temperatures and maintaining time. The liquid phase formed during sintering led to a considerable accurate process and swelling of the sintered compact was observed and studied.