Rapid Plasma Sintering of B"-Alumina

9529646约翰逊 这是一个更新的建议的基础上正在进行的NSF-DMR项目的结果和成就，这表明，微波和射频等离子体加热增强致密化的氧化铝烧结温度显着降低。 PI将扩展以前的工作，利用微波激发等离子体的快速烧结和微观结构的发展氧化铝的基本调查。 初步结果表明，等离子烧结将减轻问题的挥发性成分的损失，在氧化铝没有昂贵的封装。 此外，等离子烧结配置非常适合快速和连续烧结管，这将提高产品的均匀性。 拟议的研究集中在管理陶瓷的烧结特性的科学问题，含有挥发性成分，如钠和锂-氧化铝，这限制了技术的可行性-氧化铝作为电解质的钠基电池的应用。 将努力实现以下目标： 1. 研究微波激发等离子体烧结氧化铝，有和没有晶界掺杂剂的添加。 2. 使用离子、电子和光子束技术量化等离子烧结条件下的微观结构发展。 3. 阐明了晶界掺杂剂用于操纵微观结构和改变晶界离子电导率的作用。 拟议的研究结果将阐明的潜在等离子烧结陶瓷含有挥发性成分一般，和-氧化铝特别。 我们的最终目标是大幅降低加工成本，提高-氧化铝的性能和可靠性，使其在钠基电池和钠离子导体的其他应用中的商业应用具有吸引力。 ***

9529646 Johnson This is a renewal proposal based on the results and accomplishments of an ongoing NSF-DMR project, which demonstrated that microwave and RF plasma heating enhanced densification of -alumina with a significant reduction in sintering temperature. The PI will extend the previous work to a fundamental investigation of rapid sintering and microstructure development of -alumina utilizing microwave excited plasmas. Preliminary results show that plasma sintering will alleviate the problems of loss of volatile components in - alumina without costly encapsulation. Moreover, the plasma sintering configuration is ideally suited for the rapid and continuous sintering of tubes, which should improve product uniformity. The proposed research is focused on the scientific issues that govern the sintering characteristics of ceramics containing volatile components, such as sodium and lithium in -alumina, which limit the technological feasibility of -alumina as an electrolyte for sodium-based battery applications. The following objectives will be pursued: 1. Investigate sintering of -alumina under microwave excited plasma, with and without grain boundary dopant additions. 2. Quantify the microstructure development under plasma sintering conditions using an arsenal of ion, electron, and photon beam techniques. 3. Elucidate the role of grain boundary dopants used to manipulate the microstructure and alter the grain boundary ionic conductivity. %%% The outcome of the proposed research will shed light on the potential for plasma sintering of ceramics containing volatile components in general, and -alumina in particular. The ultimate objective of our undertaking is to dramatically reduce the processing cost and increase the performance and reliability of -alumina to a point that it is attractive for commercial application in sodium-based batteries and other applications of sodium ionic conductors. ***