Originally published by Plenum Press New York in 1985.Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1985 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher Dedicated to PROFESSOR FRITZ V. LENEL a pioneer in the field of liquid phase sintering
FOREWORDIn the past few years there has been rapid growth in the activities involving particulate materials because of recognized advantages in manufacturing. This growth is attributed to several factors; i) an increased concern over energy utilization, ii) a desire to better control microstructure in engineermg materials, iii) the need for 1mproved material economy, iv) societal and economic pressures for higher productivity and quality, v) requirements for unique property combinations for high performance applications, and vi) a desire for net shape forming. Accordingly, liquid phase sintering has received increased attention as part of the growth in particulate materials processing. As a consequence, the commercial applications for liquid phase sintering are expanding rapidly. This active and expanding interest is not well served by available texts. For this reason I felt it was appropriate to write this book on liquid phase sintering.The technology of liquid phase sintering IS quite old and has been in use in the ceramics industry for many centuries. However, the general perception among materials and manufacturing engineers is that liquid phase sintering is still a novel technique. I believe the diverse technological applications outlined in this book will dispel I such impressions. Liquid phase. sintering has great value in fabricating several unique materials to near net shapes and will continue to expand in applications as the fundamental attributes are better appreciated.I am personally involved with several uses for liquid phase sintering. My initial exposure was with refractory metals and alloys like the heavy alloys based on high tungsten contents. My subsequent studies have included ferrous structural alloys, aluminum alloys, cemented carb1des, molybdenum, metal-ceramic composites, alumina, and several high performance ceramics processed by liquid phase sintering. Obviously, my early emphasis on the metallic examples of liquid phase sintermg are carried into this book; however, I have made an effort to include several examples of nonmetallic materials.In writing the book, my goal was to organize the current knowledge on liquid phase sintering into a general, material independent treatment. The primary emphasis is on the fundamentals and the universal characteristics of liquid phase sintering. Through an understanding of the fundamentals, the technology for manufacturing by liquid phase sintering becomes evident. The book is written for the technical audience interested in liquid phase sintering, including manufacturing and materials engineers, graduate stude...