Sintering and Densification (I)—Conventional Sintering Technologies

Abstract

It is well known that, to produce ceramics, green bodies must be sintered at a certain high temperature for a given time duration to develop required microstructure and thus desired properties. In particular, transparent ceramics must be fully dense to achieve maximum optical transmittance. Sintering process is governed by a number of parameters, which can be used to build up interrelationships among processing, microstructure, properties, and performance. Sintering behavior and microstructure development have been extensively studied. Qualitative understandings include driving forces of sintering, the mechanisms of densification, controlling factors, such as particle size of precursor powders, sintering temperature, time duration and applied pressure, electrical current, and so on. This chapter serves to cover the fundamental issues of the conventional sintering technologies.