Improvements in Flash Sintering for Practical Application

Flash sintering was first reported in 2010 by a research group of Raj et al. at Colorado University. Since then, flash sintering has attracted attention as an innovative sintering method that uses the steep power spike, generated when ceramic green compact is heated while an electric field, is applied to densify ceramic green compact in an instant. However, there are several technical challenges that must be overcome before flash sintering can be used as a practical sintering method. This paper outlines the problems and improvements related to flash sintering from a viewpoint of sintering method and introduces the improved flash sintering noted as shrinkage-rate controlled flash sintering developed by the author.