Abstract
This experiment has been carried out for the purpose of investigating the effect of additives on densification and grain growth in magnesium oxide by a two-step process; hot pressing and heat treating. MgO powder has been obtained by calcining extra reagent grade MgCO3 at 90$0^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes, and additives have been added to $MgCO_3$ in the form of soluble salts-Al$(NO_3)_3$$. $9H_2O$ and $Cr(NO_3)_3$.9H_2O$. The hot pressing has been carried out with changes of soaking time at 125$0^{\circ}C$ under the pressure of 250kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$, and the heat treating also at same temperature. The initial particle size of MgO measured by particle size analyzer was 0.86 microns. Densification rate obeyed the equation D=K lnt + C, and grain growth rate obeyed the equation G-G0=kt1/2. It was vaporization of some $Cr_2O_3$ and formation of solid solution that had an influence on desification of MgO containing $Cr_2O_3$. Activation energy for grain growth of pure MgO was 62.4 kcal/mole, therefore grain growth was supposed to be diffusioncontrolled process. But after heat treatmeat, excess additives were expected to slow down the grain growth by the formation of second phase or the solute atoms at grainboundary.