Sintering of Nanophase Γ-Al₂O₃ Powder

Editor(s)

Green, David J. and Halloran, John and Johnson, David W. and Klein, Lisa

Abstract

The sintering of ultrafine γ-Al2O3 powder (particle size ∼10-20 nm) prepared by an inert gas condensation technique was investigated in air at a constant heating rate of 10°C/min. Qualitatively, the kinetics followed those of transition aluminas prepared by other methods. Measurable shrinkage commenced at ∼ 1000°C and showed a region of rapid sintering between ∼1125° and 1175°C followed by a transition to a much reduced sintering rate at higher temperatures. Starting from an initial density of ∼0.60 relative to the theoretical value, the powder compact reached a relative density of 0.82 after sintering to 1350°C. Compared to compacts prepared from the as-received powder, dispersion of the powder in water prior to compaction produced a drastic change in the microstructural evolution and a significant reduction in the densification rate during sintering. the incorporation of a step involving the rapid heating of the loose powder to ∼1300°C prior to compaction (which resulted in the transformation to α-Al2O3) provided a method for significantly increasing the density during sintering.

Department(s)

Materials Science and Engineering

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0002-7820; 1551-2916

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1996 Wiley-Blackwell, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 1996

Link to Full Text

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