In-situ Sintering Studies on Nano-Alumina

Lia A. Stanciu, Friedrich Raether, Ronald Springer and Joanna R. Groza
Chemical Engineering&Materials Science Department, Unviersity of California Davis, US

Keywords: nano-alumina, sintering, laser-flash technique

Abstract:
Recently, a thermooptical measuring device (TOM) has been developed to in-situ monitor the thermal diffusivity, shrinkage and light scattering of materials during sintering1,2. The initial stage of sintering is difficult to study by conventional methods (e. g., dilatometry) since no shrinkage is detected before the second sintering stage. Densification of nanosize particles indicated enhanced phenomena during early sintering stages3. The goal of the present work is to systematically investigate the mechanisms involved in the initial stages of sintering of nano-alumina powders. TOM between room temperature and 1300°C (heating rates 10 - 20°C/min) is used to identify the temperature boundary between different stages of sintering of nano-alumina and monitor the sintering necks formed during the incipient stages of the consolidation process. TEM is used to characterize initial powders and neck formation.

NSTI Nanotech 2003 Conference Technical Program Abstract