Microstructural parameters related to liquid-phase sintering

Often, we need means to explain the effects of process variations with respect to the properties of sintered materials. Hence, quantification of microstructural parameters in the sintering process is an inherent part of liquid-phase sintering. A random grain distribution results in a random distribution of the distance between neighboring grains. This distribution determines most of the microstructural parameters, such as coordination number and contiguity. In this study, a statistical model based on an assumed Rayleigh distribution of the closest distance between neighboring grains is developed to establish the relations between microstructural parameters in liquid-phase sintering. A new grain-packing factor is derived to describe the grain arrangement. It is useful in quantifying the theoretical relations between microstructural parameters and describing the sintering process.