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Flash sintering feasibility study and localized densification in boron carbide
Author(s) -
Rosenberger Andrew,
Brennan Raymond E.,
Fry Aubrey L.
Publication year - 2021
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/jace.17833
Subject(s) - sintering , materials science , flash (photography) , boron carbide , boron , carbide , metallurgy , electrode , composite material , silicon carbide , optics , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry
The feasibility of flash sintering boron carbide (B 4 C) was investigated using a direct current (DC) electric field across different electrodes, field strengths, and thermal profiles. Flash behavior was observed at furnace temperatures as low as 386°C with field strengths of 68‐278 V/cm, but only a small channel of the specimen was densified due to hot spot effects. Application of a 2.2 V/cm·s voltage ramp at a constant temperature of 550°C caused uniform heating, but at temperatures too low for sintering. Scalable densification of B 4 C at low furnace temperatures with flash sintering is theorized to be possible by applying a higher current density through power supply or specimen modifications.