• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.135-142
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• 2018

In this study, we have fabricated n-type $Bi_2Te_{2.85}Se_{0.15}$ compounds by different processing routes such as crushing, milling and mixing respectively. Subsequently, the obtained powders were consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The phase crystallinity of bulk samples were identified using X-ray diffraction technique. Powder morphology and fracture surface of bulk samples were observed using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity values were significantly increased for the milling sample than crushing and mixing samples. As a result, the maximum power factor was obtained $2.4mW/mK^2$, which is thrice than that of crushing process. The maximum figure of merit (ZT) of 0.77 was achieved at 400 K for the milling sample. Furthermore, relatively high hardness and density values were noticed for the different processed samples.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.126-134
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• 2018

In this research, we produced polycrystalline n-type $Bi_2Te_{2.7}Se_{0.3}$ powder using water atomization. To obtain full benefit through water atomized powder, we have implemented spark plasma sintering and hot extrusion for powder compaction. The microstructure and thermoelectric properties were investigated and compared. The average grain size of SPS and extruded bulks were 3.08 and $3.86{\mu}m$ respectively. The extruded material microstructure contains layered grains with less grain boundaries and its counter-part SPS displays dense packed grains with high grain boundaries. Among both bulks, extrusion sample exhibited high power factor (PF) of $2.96{\times}10^{-3}Wm^{-1}K^{-2}$ which is 38% higher than SPS ($2.14{\times}10^{-3}$) bulk sample. Due to variations in grain size and grain boundaries, the SPS bulk shows low thermal conductivity than extruded bulk. However, the extruded bulk sample exhibited a peak ZT of 0.69 at 400 K, which is 19% higher than SPS bulk sample, due to its higher power factor.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.1252_1253
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• 2009

The composites were fabricated by adding 0, 15, 20, 25[vol.%] Zirconium Diboride(hereafter, $ZrB_2$) powders as a second phase to Silicon Carbide(hereafter, SiC) matrix. The physical, mechanical and electrical properties of electroconductive SiC ceramic composites by spark plasma sintering(hereafter, SPS) were examined. Reactions between $\beta$-SiC and $ZrB_2$ were not observed in the XRD analysis The relative density of mono SiC, SiC+15[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+20[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ and SiC+25[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composites are 90.97[%], 74.62[%], 77.99[%] and 72.61[%] respectively. The XRD phase analysis of the electroconductive SiC ceramic composites reveals high of SiC and $ZrB_2$ and low of ZrO2 phase. The electrical resistivity of mono SiC, SiC+15[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+20[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ and SiC+25[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composites are $4.57{\times}10^{-1}$, $2.13{\times}10^{-1}$, $1.53{\times}10^{-1}$ and $6.37{\times}10^{-2}[{\Omega}{\cdot}cm]$ at room temperature, respectively. The electrical resistivity of mono SiC, SiC+15[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+20[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ and SiC+25[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ are Negative Temperature Coefficient Resistance(hereafter, NTCR) in temperature ranges from 25[$^{\circ}C$] to 100[$^{\circ}C$]. It is convinced that SiC+20[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composite by SPS can be applied for heater above 1000[$^{\circ}C$].

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.455-462
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• 2019

ZrB₂ ceramic and ZrB₂ ceramic composites with the addition of SiC, WC, and SiC/WC are successfully synthesized by a spark plasma sintering method. During high-temperature oxidation, SiC additive form a SiO₂ amorphous outer scale layer and SiC-deplete ZrO₂ scale layer, which decrease the oxidation rate. WC addition forms WO₃ during the oxidation process to result in a ZrO₂/WO₃ liquid sintering layer, which is known to improve the anti-oxidation effect. The addition of SiC and WC to ZrB₂ reduces the oxygen effective diffusivity by one-fifth of that of ZrB₂. The addition of both SiC and WC shows the formation of a SiO₂ outer dense glass layer and ZrO₂/WO₃ layer so that the anti-oxidation effect is improved three times as much as that of ZrB₂. Therefore, SiC- and WC-added ZrB₂ has a lower two-order oxygen effective diffusivity than ZrB₂; it improves the anti-oxidation performance 3 times as much as that of ZrB₂.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.115-119
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• 2001

Hydroxyapatite-yttria stabilized zirconia bioceramics containing fine zirconia particles were prepared as 3-layered functionally graded materials (FGMs) using a spark plasma sintering (SPS) and hot pressing (HP) apparatuses. The pretreatment of the raw hydroxyapatite promoted the sinterability of hydroxyapatite. The maximum density of pretreated FGM composites could be obtained at lower temperature than that for he untreated FGM samples. No decomposition from hydroxyapatite to three calcium phosphate (TCP) was observed in FGMs of HAp-$ZrO_2$ sintered below $1200^{\circ}C$ for 8 min under 10 MPa by SPS. However, the transformation of the tetragonal zirconia to the cubic modification had occurred in FGMs at this temperature. The presence of zirconia i.e. stress induced transformation of zirconia may be expected to enhance the mechanical properties of HAp-$ZrO_2$ FGM. The SPS is concluded as a better method to fabricated the FGM with dense and high strength compared with HP process.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.4 s.299
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• pp.208-213
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• 2007

Alumina/silver ($Al_2O_3/Ag$) nanocomposites with Ag content up to 9 vol% were prepared from nanopowder by soaking method using ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ of needle type and spark plasma sintering (SPS). The mechanical properties of specimens were investigated three-point flexural strength and toughness as a function of the Ag contents. The maximum flexural strength of the alumina/silver nanocomposite was 850 MPa for the 1 vol% composite, and also higher than monolith alumina as about 800 MPa at 3, 5, and 7 vol% Ag contents. Fracture toughness by single edged V-notch beam (SEVNB) was $4.05MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$ for the 3 vol% composite and maintained about $4.00MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$ at 5, and 7 vol% Ag content. Microstructure of fracture surface for each fracture specimens was observed. Due to the inhibition effect of alumina grain growth, the average grain size of nanocomposites depends on the content of Ag nano particles. The fracture morphology of nanocomposite with dislocation (sub-grain boundary) by silver nano-particles of second phases in the alumina matrix also showed transgranular fracture-mode compare with intergranular of monolith alumina. Thermal conductivity of specimens at room temperature was about 40 W/mK for the 1 vol% Ag content.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2017

In this paper, $Si_3N_4/hBN$ ceramics with various hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) contents (0, 10, 20, or 30 wt%) were fabricated via spark plasma sintering (SPS) at $1500^{\circ}C$, 50MPa, and 10m holding time. The material properties such as the relative density, hardness, and fracture toughness were systematically evaluated according to the hBN content in the $Si_3N_4/hBN$ ceramics. The results show that relative density, hardness, and fracture toughness continuously decreased as the hBN content increased. In addition, peak-step drilling (with tool diameter $500{\mu}m$) was performed to observe the effects of hBN content in micro-hole shape and cutting force. A machined hole diameter of $510{\mu}m$ (entrance) and stable cutting force were obtained at 30 wt% hBN content. Consequently, $Si_3N_4/30wt%$ hBN ceramic is a feasible material upon which to apply semi-conductor components, and this study is very meaningful for determining correlations between material properties and machining performance.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.13 no.2 s.55
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• pp.144-149
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• 2006

In this research we tried to make nano-sized TiNx by using planetary milling, and we made the composites double layered of titanium and nano-sized TiNx by using spark plasma sintering apparatus after mixing with the different ratio of pure titanium powder, and they were heat treated at $850^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. The crystal structures of nano-sized TiNx powders and the composites were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The microstructures of the powders were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and the 40-50 nm size of nano-sized TiNx particle on the surface of agglomerated particles was investigated. With increasing the ratio of nano-sized TiNx of the composites, the microvickers hardness of the composites was increased.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.357-363
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• 2017

In this study, Bi-Sb-Te thermoelectric materials are produced by mechanical alloying (MA) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). To examine the influence of the milling atmosphere on the microstructure and thermo-electric (TE) properties, a p-type Bi-Sb-Te composite powder is mechanically alloyed in the presence of argon and air atmospheres. The oxygen content increases to 55% when the powder is milled in the air atmosphere, compared with argon. All grains are similar in size and uniformly, distributed in both atmospheric sintered samples. The Seebeck coefficient is higher, while the electrical conductivity is lower in the MA (Air) sample due to a low carrier concentration compared to the MA (Ar) sintered sample. The maximum figure of merit (ZT) is 0.91 and 0.82 at 350 K for the MA (Ar) and MA (Air) sintered samples, respectively. The slight enhancement in the ZT value is due to the decrease in the oxygen content during the MA (Ar) process. Moreover, the combination of mechanical alloying and SPS process shows a higher hardness and density values for the sintered samples.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.158-164
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• 2018

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-copper (Cu) composites are successfully fabricated by a combination of a binder-free wet mixing and spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. The SPS is performed under various conditions to investigate optimized processing conditions for minimizing the structural defects of CNTs and densifying the MWCNT-Cu composites. The electrical conductivities of MWCNT-Cu composites are slightly increased for compositions containing up to 1 vol.% CNT and remain above the value for sintered Cu up to 2 vol.% CNT. Uniformly dispersed CNTs in the Cu matrix with clean interfaces between the treated MWCNT and Cu leading to effective electrical transfer from the treated MWCNT to the Cu is believed to be the origin of the improved electrical conductivity of the treated MWCNT-Cu composites. The results indicate the possibility of exploiting CNTs as a contributing reinforcement phase for improving the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties in the Cu matrix composites.