The effect of the pulse peak voltage on the initial particle rearrangement stage of liquid-phase spark plasma sintering of silicon nitride is studied by varying the DC on:off pulse pattern. The shrinkage rate vs. temperature curves showed that the intensity and position of the rearrangement stage peak were dependent on the pulse peak voltage. An alternative sintering mechanism based on the electrowetting phenomenon is proposed to explain the experimental data. (C) 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
机构:
Ben Gurion Univ Negev, Dept Mat Engn, POB 653, IL-84105 Beer Sheva, IsraelBen Gurion Univ Negev, Dept Mat Engn, POB 653, IL-84105 Beer Sheva, Israel