A general morphological approach of sintering kinetics: application to WC–Co solid phase sintering

✍ Scribed by J.-M. Missiaen; S. Roure

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 335 KB
• Volume: 46
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1359-6454
• DOI: 10.1016/s1359-6454(98)00055-x

✦ Synopsis

AbstractÐA general morphological approach of densi®cation kinetics during solid phase sintering of a powder compact is proposed, ®rst for a single phase powder, then for a binary mixture of a hard phase with a minor soft phase. A theoretical model relates the shrinkage rate to physical parameters of the material and to general geometrical parameters of the microstructure. The geometrical parameters can evolve through the sintering process, but this evolution is not predicted by the model. The model can be used to validate a particular mechanism of densi®cation by comparison with experimental shrinkage rates obtained by dilatometry and geometrical parameters determined by image analysis. Application to WC±Co sintering experiments at 12008C shows that densi®cation is induced by a rearrangement of WC particles while the Co binder phase spreads into the porous structure. Matter transport is controlled by diusion through the binder phase.