Plasma Sintering of Ceramics

研究的目的是发展科学基础 陶瓷的成功等离子烧结所需的。 的 所采取的方法是探索等离子体参数-RF与 微波、气体、掺杂剂、稳态与脉冲功率输入， 等等，等离子体与材料表面的相互作用， 烧结动力学作为等离子体参数的函数， 试样成分、加热速率等。 等离子烧结的潜力是非常大的 很好，这项技术对全球来说非常重要。 美国的经济竞争力，如果可以的话， 专为具有技术价值的陶瓷而开发，如铝 氧化物、氧化锆等。 特定几何形状的极高烧结速率 产品-即，薄壁管、小直径杆、引线 非常高的生产率， 微观结构，由于快速 烧结工艺

The objective of the study is to develop the science base required for succesful plasma sintering of ceramics. The approach taken is to explore the plasma parameters-RF vs. microwave, gases, dopants, steady-state vs. pulsed power input, etc., the interaction of the plasma with the material surface and the sintering kinetics as functions of the plasma parameters, specimen composition, heating rates, etc. The potential of plasma sintering could be extremely great, and this technique could be very important to the global economic competitive position of the United States, if it can be developed for ceramics of technical interest such as aluminun oxide, zirconium oxide, etc. It offers the potential for extremely high sintering rates for certain geometry products-i.e., thin walled tubes, small diameter rods, leading to very high production rates and possibly unique microstructures, as a result of the rapid sintering process.