Modification of Densification Mechanisms By The Timing of Mechanical Pressure During Spark Plasma Sintering

Abstract The application of mechanical pressure during a sintering process is connected with grains sliding and diffusion enhancement. However, the timing of mechanical pressure during the rapid sintering process was not addressed. In the present study, four different timings of mechanical pressure with final pressure 50 MPa starting from the beginning, 600 ℃, 900 ℃ and at sintering temperature, furthermore one pressure-less SPS have been studied during SPS of Nano-Alumina powder (Taimei, Japan) at 1100 ℃, 1150 ℃, 1200 ℃, and 1300 ℃, respectively. The density, hardness, microstructure, and grain size of each sample were measured and calculated carefully. The results show that applying the pressure at 900 ℃ brings high density and small grain size, leading to the best Vickers hardness. The interaction between pressure and vapor, leading to the different vapor transfer rate of the first sintering stage, is considered as a reason for the differences in the microstructure.