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Sintering of Fine Oxide Powders: I, Microstructural Evolution
Author(s) -
Chen PeiLin,
Chen IWei
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1151-2916.1996.tb08087.x
Subject(s) - sintering , materials science , microstructure , homogenization (climate) , supercritical fluid , particle size distribution , grain size , grain growth , mineralogy , particle size , homogeneous , oxide , composite material , chemical engineering , metallurgy , thermodynamics , chemistry , physics , engineering , biodiversity , ecology , biology
Microstructural evolution during sintering has been investigated using fine powders of CeO 2 and Y 2 O 3 with excellent sinterability. A universal pore size distribution, normalized by particle size, has been determined and found to be a function of density only. Microstructure evolves toward the universal distribution, with or without densification, signifying homogenization at all stages. This may even involve the elimination of supercritical pores, at low densities, which are otherwise thermodynamically not sinterable. Theoretical justification for these observations is made by using a network model with a random, but spatially homogeneous, distribution of spherical particles. Final microstructure after full density is reached is also found to evolve toward a universal steady state of grain shape/grain size distribution regardless of initial state.