The alternative pressing and sintering techniques for metal, ceramic, and refractory metal intermetallic compounds include pressureless sintering, hot isostatic pressing sintering, hot pressing sintering, gas pressure sintering, and several specialized methods. Each technique offers unique advantages and is chosen based on material properties, desired outcomes, and specific applications.
Pressureless Sintering involves sintering without the use of applied pressure, which helps avoid density variations in the final product. This technique is suitable for ceramic powder compacts created through methods like cold isostatic pressing, injection moulding, or slip casting. The heating techniques for pressureless sintering include constant-rate of heating (CRH), rate-controlled sintering (RCS), and two-step sintering (TSS), each affecting the ceramic microstructure and grain size differently.
Conventional Sintering is the simplest method, involving heating the prepared powder compact to the correct temperature without external pressure. This technique requires a controlled atmosphere for safety and optimal results and can be performed using box furnaces or tube furnaces.
High-temperature Sintering is similar to conventional sintering but is conducted at elevated temperatures. This method reduces surface oxidation, enhancing metal-to-metal bonding, improving mechanical properties, reducing porosity, and strengthening the metal. However, parts sintered at high temperatures tend to shrink more than expected.
Hot Isostatic Pressing Sintering (HIP), Hot Pressing Sintering, and Gas Pressure Sintering are forms of pressure sintering that apply pressure during the sintering process, enhancing the densification and mechanical properties of the materials. HIP uses high temperatures and isostatic pressure to achieve uniform compaction, while hot pressing applies uniaxial pressure, and gas pressure sintering uses gas pressure to prevent vaporization of volatile components.
Specialized Sintering Methods include microwave sintering, which uses microwave energy to heat and sinter the material, and pressure-assisted sintering, which combines pressure and heat to enhance densification. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Electron Beam Sintering (EBS) are additive manufacturing techniques that use energy beams to sinter powdered materials layer by layer, creating complex three-dimensional objects.
Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) uses pressure and an electric field to enhance the density of ceramic and metallic powder compacts, allowing lower sintering temperatures and shorter processing times. Despite its name, no plasma is involved, leading to alternative names like Field Assisted Sintering Technique (FAST), Electric Field Assisted Sintering (EFAS), and Direct Current Sintering (DCS).
Electro Sinter Forging is an electric current-assisted sintering technology used for producing diamond metal matrix composites. This method, derived from capacitor discharge sintering, is characterized by a low sintering time and is being investigated for use with various metals.
Each of these techniques is tailored to specific material properties and applications, offering various benefits in terms of densification, mechanical properties, and processing times.
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