No abstract

Two problems in liquid phase sintering (LPhS) are analyzed. In the first case, the densification obtained from particle rearrangement is related to the volume fraction of the liquid phase and the solubility of the solid in the liquid. The model is based upon the assumption that particle rearrangement is related to the dissolution of the solid into the liquid. Sintering experiments carried out with salt particles and water support the results from the model. These experiments provide further insights into the influence of particle size on densification. In the second problem, the kinetics of densification by particle rearrangement is related to the rate of dissolution of the solid into the liquid. These results are compared to the kinetics of densification by the solution-precipitation mechanism, which is shown to be much slower than particle rearrangement. The results from the two problems are then combined to delineate the regimes of particle rearrangement (stage I) and solution-precipitation (stage II) mechanisms. The implication of the contact angle on sintering behavior is discussed.