• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.60-64
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• 2008

[ $B_4C$ ] ceramics were fabricated by spark plasma sintering process and their sintering behavior, microstructure and mechanical properties were evaluated. Relative density of $B_4C$ ceramics could be achieved by spark plasma sintering method reached as high as 99% at lower temperature than conventional sintering method, in addition, without any sintering additives. The mechanical properties of $B_4C$ ceramics could be improved by the heat treatment at $1300^{\circ}C$ during sintering process which can be removed $B_2O_3$ phase from a $B_4C$ powder surface. This improvement results from the formation of a fine and homogeneous microstructure because the grain coarsening was suppressed by the elimination of $B_2O_3$ phase. Particularly, mechanical properties of the specimen experienced the $B_2O_3$ removing process improved over 30% compared with the specimen without that process.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.61-69
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• 2001

Spark-Plasma Sintering(SPS) is one of the new sintering methods which takes advantages both inconventional pressure sintering and electric current sintering. It is known that SPS is very effective for the densification of hard-to-sinter materials like refractory metals, intermetallic compounds, glass and ceramics without grain growth. However, a clear explanation for sintering mechanism and an experimental evidence for the formation of weak plasma during SPS are not given yet. In this study, fundamental study on sintering behavior and mechanism of SPS was investiged. For this study, various spherical Fe powders were prepared such as as-received, as-reduced, and as-oxidized and then sintered by SPS facility. In order to confirm the surface cleaning effect during SPS neck region and fracture surface of sintered body was observed and analyzed by SEM/EPMA. Densification behavior was analyzed from the data of deflection along the pressure axis. Some specimens were additionally produced by Hot Pressing and the results were compared with those of SPS.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.50-60
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• 2002

SPS(Spark Plasma Sintering ) is known to be an excellent sintering method for porous materials. In the present work an attempt has been made of fabricating porous 316L Stainless steel with good mechanical properties by using controlled SPS process Porosity was 21%~53% at sintering temperature of $600^{\circ}C$~100$0^{\circ}C$ The limit of porosity with available mechanical strength was 30% at given experimental conditions. Porosity can be controlled by manipulating the intial height of the compact by means of the supporter and punch length. The applied pressure can be exerted entirely upon the supporter, giving no influence on the specimen. The specimen is then able to be sintered pressurelessly. In this case porosity could be controlled from 38 to 45% with good mechanical strength at sintering temperature of 90$0^{\circ}C$. As the holding time increased, neck between the particles grew progressively, but shrinkage of the specimen did not occur, implying that the porosity remained constant during the whole sintering process.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2017

We fabricate fine (<$20{\mu}m$) powders of $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ alloys using a large-scale production method and subsequently consolidate them at temperatures of 573, 623, and 673 K using a spark plasma sintering process. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermoelectric properties are investigated for each sintering temperature. The microstructural features of both the powders and bulks are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and the crystal structures are analyzed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The grain size increases with increasing sintering temperature from 573 to 673 K. In addition, the mechanical properties increase significantly with decreasing sintering temperature owing to an increase in grain boundaries. The results indicate that the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient ($217{\mu}V/K$) of the sample sintered at 673 K increase simultaneously owing to decreased carrier concentration and increased mobility. As a result, a high ZT value of 0.92 at 300 K is achieved. According to the results, a sintering temperature of 673 K is preferable for consolidation of fine (<$20{\mu}m$) powders.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 2010

Mo nanopowder was synthesized by ball-milling and subsequent hydrogen-reduction of $MoO_3$ powder. To fabricate ultra fine grained molybdenum, two-step sintering and spark plasma sintering process were employed. The grain size of specimen by two-step sintering and spark plasma sintering was around $0.6\;{\mu}m$ and $0.4\;{\mu}m$, respectively. Mechanical properties of ultra fine grained Mo with relative density of above 90% were significantly improved at room and high temperatures comparing to commercial bulk Mo of 99% relative density. This result was mainly explained by the grain size refinement due to diffusion-controlled sintering.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.128-132
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• 2007

[ $B_4C$ ] ceramics were fabricated by spark plasma sintering process and their sintering behavior, microstructure and mechanical properties were evaluated. Relative density of $B_4C$ ceramics were obtained by spark plasma sintering method reached as high as 99% at lower temperature than conventional sintering method, in addition, without any sintering additives. The mechanical properties of $B_4C$ ceramics was improved by a methanol washing process which can be removed $B_2O_3$ phase from a $B_4C$ powder surface. This improvement results ken the formation of homogeneous microstructure because the grain coarsening was suppressed by the elimination of $B_2O_3$ phase. Particularly, fracture toughness of the sintered specimen using a methanol washed powder improved over 30% compared with the specimen using an as-received commercial powder.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2015

In this study, ternary compound Max Phase $Ti_2AlC$ material was mixed by 3D ball milling as a function of ball milling time. More than 99.5 wt% pure $Ti_2AlC$ was synthesized by using spark plasma sintering method at 1000, 1100, 1200, and $1300^{\circ}C$ for 60 min. The material characteristics of synthesized samples were examined with relative density, hardness, and electrical conductivity as a function of sintering temperature. The phase composition of bulk was identified by X-ray diffraction. On the basis of FE-SEM result, a terraced structures which consists of several laminated layers were observed. And $Ti_2AlC$ bulk material obtained a vickers hardness of 5.1 GPa at the sintering temperature of $1100^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.168-171
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• 2003

Interpenetrating phase composites of $TiB_2$-Cu system were produced via Spark-Plasma Sintering (SPS) oi nanocomposite powders. Under simultaneous action of pressure, temperature and electric current titanium diboride nanoparticles distributed in copper matrix move, agglomerate and form a fine-grained skeleton. Increasing SPS-temperature and he]ding time promote densification due to local melting of copper matrix When copper melting is avoided the compacts contain 17-20% porosity but titanium diboride skeleton is still formed representing the feature of SPS . High degree of densification and formation of titanium diboride network result in increased hardness of high-temperature SPS-compacts.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.14 no.3 s.62
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• pp.197-201
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• 2007

Bulk metallic glass (BMG) composite was fabricated by consolidation of milled metallic glass composite powders. The metallic glass composite powder was synthesized by a controlled milling process using the Cu-based metallic glass powder blended with 30 vol% Zr-based metallic glass powders. The milled composite powders showed a layered structure with three metallic phases, which is formed as a result of mechanical milling. By spark plasma sintering of milled metallic glass powders in the supercooled liquid region, a fully dense BMG composite was successfully synthesized.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.270-271
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• 2006

Nd-Fe-B type powder was sintered using spark plasma sintering method. Fabricated compact sintered at the temperature of $700\;^{\circ}C$, is found to be a composite magnet with Nd-Fe-Co-B and ${\alpha}-Fe$. The compact sintered at $700\;^{\circ}C$ shows slightly low coercivity and large remanent magnetization comparing to the compact sintered at $600^{\circ}C$ due to the formation of ${\alpha}-Fe$ phase, resulting in the large maximum energy product. Maximum energy product tends to decrease with decreasing thickness of sintered compacts below 0.5 mm in thickness.