Chemistry of electronic ceramic materials

Electronic ceramic components are usually manufactured from complex mixtures of oxides or partially prereacted compounds. During sintering at high temperatures, chemical reactions take place which influence the kinetics and mechanism of densification and development of ceramic microstructure. The densification process is also critically dependent on minor impurities. It is recognised that the inadequate control of chemical reactions frequently does not allow generalisation of research results and is the main reason for poor reproducibility in manufacture of electronic ceramics. The present review is concentrated on interdiffusion phenomena and growth in presence of minor amounts of reactive liquid.