8. Critical Coordination Number for
Given Dihedral Angle
Dihedral Angle
1.4
1.2 Pores
1 Shrink
0.8
0.6 Pores
0.4 Grow
0.2
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
number of grains
9. Densification
• Favoured by small number of grain
boundaries intersecting pore
• Large pores with many grains difficult to fill
10. Sintering Kinetics
• Densification vs Coarsening
• Coarsening
– Material source surface
– Material sink neck
– No shrinkage
– Increase in strength
• Densification
– Source of material has to be grain boundary
or region between particles
12. Densification
• Higher vacancy concentration in the neck
----driving force for vacancy diffusion into
the bulk----atoms diffuse in opposite
direction
13. Sintering
• Promote Densification over Coarsening
– High GB diffusion
– High bulk diffusion
– Low surface diffusion
• Depends on
– Particle size and packing
– Atmosphere
– Degree of Agglomeration
– Temperature
– Impurities
14. Sintering Stages
• Initial Stage
– Interparticle contact increases by neck growth
– Relative density increases from~60 to ~65%
• Intermediate Stage
– Continuous pore channels coincident with
three grain edges
– Increase from ~65 to ~90% density
15. Sintering Stages
• Final Stage
– Pore pinched off
– Increase in pore and GB mobilities
– Must keep pores in contact with grain
boundaries to eliminate pores completely.
16. What Have We Learned
• Surface Energy Driving Force
– Particle Growth
– Sintering
• Balance Between Coarsening and
Densification
– Depends on mechanism
– Role of Dihedral angle
– Coordination number of pores
17. What Have We Learned
• Three Stages of Sintering