Research Progress on the Flash Sintering Mechanism of Oxide Ceramics and Its Application

doi:10.15541/jim20210513

Abstract

Abstract:

Flash sintering is an electric field assisted sintering technology which has attracted much attention in recent years. This review introduces its origin, development, and basic characteristics. In the study of flash incubation and initiation process, the nonlinear conductivity characteristics and electrochemical blackening phenomenon are narrated, and the defect mechanism dominated by oxygen vacancy is recounted. As for rapid densification during flash sintering, it is proposed that the generation and movement of defects caused by electric field produce Coulomb force between powder particles, which is conducive to density in the early stage of flash sintering. Meanwhile, the densification process is accompanied by the rapid movement of metal cations. In terms of grain growth and microstructure evolution during the flash sintering, the sample temperature is asymmetrically distributed along the current direction, and the internal grain boundary mobility in the sample is significantly improved. During this stage, electrochemical defects exert a significant impact on the microstructure. Based on the above researches, we developed ceramic flash joining technology by using phenomenon of low-temperature rapid mass transfer under electric field, and realized rapid joining between similar kind of ceramics/ceramics, ceramics/metals, and even dissimilar ceramics/ceramics. A new ultrafast ceramic synthesis technology by flash sintering was developed, which not only realized the rapid synthesis of typical oxide ceramics, but also realized the rapid synthesis of high entropy ceramics and oxide ceramics with eutectic morphology. An electroplastic forming technology of oxide ceramics was developed, and a rapid tensile and bending deformation of zirconia ceramics at low temperature and low stress was preliminarily realized. Finally, this review summarizes the challenges in the field of flash sintering mechanism, and looks forward to the development direction of flash sintering from two aspects of Joule heating effect and nonthermal effect, aiming to be beneficial to the development of flash sintering technology in China.

Key words: flash sintering, Joule heating, defect, joining, synthesis, forming, review

CLC Number:

TQ174

LIU Jinling, LIU Dianguang, REN Ke, WANG Yiguang. Research Progress on the Flash Sintering Mechanism of Oxide Ceramics and Its Application[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2022, 37(5): 473-480.

Figures/Tables 8

Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of flash sintering device

Fig. 2 Electric field strength, current density and power density as a function of time during the flash sintering

Fig. 3 (a) Electrochemical blackening of flash sintered 3YSZ ceramic and (b) EPR result of the flash sintered 3YSZ sample

Fig. 4 Calculated activation energy during flash sintering of 3YSZ[24]

Fig. 5 Change of the surface temperature of 8YSZ sample as a function of distance from cathode at the steady stage during the flash sintering[15]

Fig. 6 Picture of an integrated component flash joined from two 3YSZ blocks and a 3YSZ thin plate

Fig.7 SEM image of Al2O3/YAG eutectic structure formed by flash sintering

Fig. 8 Fast deformation of 3YSZ under (a) tension and (b) bending test via flash sintering at low temperature

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