مشخصات پژوهش

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) has introduced as a high-tech, novel and greatly profitable technique for powder materials sintering, which can be used for the production of near-net-shape bulk materials. This recently developed consolidation process is based on pressing and rapid heating simultaneously. The process parameters that participated during the sintering procedure are low-voltage and pressure utilizing a uniaxial force and pulsed-direct-current (DC), respectively, to sinter powder materials more effectively. Most recently, several ceramics and metals based composites materials have been fabricated by the SPS process compared to the conventional sintering techniques, due to its very short holding time and lower temperature. The lower the holding time/temperature, the less grain growth happens, as a result, the better microstructural and mechanical properties can be attained. The theory that is known as micro-spark/plasma, is the most common mechanism illustrating the SPS process which is based on electrical arc discharge and plasma spark generation at the contact area between the powder particles. In this chapter, the historical background of the SPS, sintering mechanisms, the effect of processing parameters and principles on the properties of both ceramics and metals matrix composites are presented.