Numerical Simulation of Physical Fields during Spark Plasma Sintering of Boron Carbide

Abstract

Spark plasma sintering is a new technology for preparing ceramic materials. In this article, a thermal-electric-mechanical coupled model is used to simulate the spark plasma sintering process of boron carbide. The solution of the thermal-electric part was based on the charge conservation equation and the energy conservation equation. A phenomenological constitutive model (Drucker-Prager Cap model) was used to simulate the densification process of boron carbide powder. To reflect the influence of temperature on sintering performance, the model parameters were set as functions of temperature. Spark plasma sintering experiments were conducted at four temperatures: 1500 °C, 1600 °C, 1700 °C, and 1800 °C, and the sintering curves were obtained. The parameter optimization software was integrated with the finite element analysis software, and the model parameters at different temperatures were obtained through the parameter inverse identification method by minimizing the difference between the experimental displacement curve and the simulated displacement curve. The Drucker-Prager Cap model was then incorporated into the coupled finite element framework to analyze the changes of various physical fields of the system over time during the sintering process.

Enhanced Mechanical Properties of Al2O3 Nanoceramics via Low Temperature Spark Plasma Sintering of Amorphous Powders

“…For decades, sintering at low temperatures [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ] has been performed in varieties of ceramics, in attempts to obtain bulk ceramics with full density as well as maintaining nanoscale grain size, attributed to the unique mechanical and functional properties of ceramics with grain sizes within the nanometer to sub-micrometer range. The majority of this research focuses on the optimization of sintering strategies, such as two-step sintering [ 18 , 19 , 20 ] or the employment of field-assisted sintering techniques, including hot pressing [ 21 , 22 ] and spark plasma sintering [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Apart from that, low temperature sintering assisted by amorphous powders was achieved in nanoceramics by virtue of the transition from the amorphous to crystalline phase [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ].…”