• Archives of Metallurgy and Materials
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.949-952
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• 2019

The effects of different types of process control agents (PCA) on the microstructure evolution of Ni-based oxide dispersion-strengthened superalloy have been investigated. Alloy synthesis was performed on elemental powders having a nominal composition of Ni-15Cr-4.5Al-4W-2.5Ti-2Mo-2Ta-0.15Zr-1.1Y₂O₃ in wt % using high energy ball milling for 5 h. The prepared powders are consolidated by spark plasma sintering at 1000℃. Results indicated that the powder ball-milled with ethanol as PCA showed large particle size, low carbon content and homogeneous distribution of elemental powders compared with the powder by stearic acid. The sintered alloy prepared by ethanol as PCA exhibited a homogeneous microstructure with fine precipitates at the grain boundaries. The microstructural characteristics have been discussed on the basis of function of the PCA.

• Archives of Metallurgy and Materials
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.1045-1049
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• 2020

This research describes effects of Si addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of the Al-Cr based alloys prepared manufactured using gas atomization and SPS (Spark Plasma Sintering) processes. The Al-Cr-Si bulks with high Cr and Si content were produced successfully using SPS sintering process without crack and obtained fully dense specimens close to nearly 100% T. D. (Theoretical Density). Microstructure of the as-atomized Al-Cr-Si alloys with high contents of Cr and Si was composed multi-phases with hard and thermally stable such as Al₁₃Cr₄Si₄, AlCrSi, Al₈Cr₅ and Cr₃Si intermetallic compounds. The average hardness values were 703 Hv for S5, 698 Hv for S10 and 824 Hv for S20 alloy. Enhancement of hardness value was resulted from the formation of the multi-intermetallic compound with hard and thermally stable and fine microstructure by the addition of high Cr and Si using rapid solidification and SPS process.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.827-831
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• 2008

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) of AlN ceramics were carried out with ${Y_2}{O_3}$ as sintering additive at a sintering temperature $1,550{\sim}1,700^{\circ}C$. The effect of ${Y_2}{O_3}$ addition on sintering behavior and thermal conductivity of AlN ceramics was studied. ${Y_2}{O_3}$ added AlN showed higher densification rate than pure AlN noticeably, but the formation of yttrium aluminates phases by the solid-state reaction of ${Y_2}{O_3}$ and ${Al_2}{O_3}$ existed on AlN surface could delay the densification during the sintering process. The thermal conductivity of AlN specimens was promoted by the addition of ${Y_2}{O_3}$ up to 3 wt% in spite of the formation of YAG secondary phase in AlN grain boundaries because ${Y_2}{O_3}$ addition could reduced the oxygen contents in AlN lattice which is primary factor of thermal conductivity. However, the thermal conductivity rather decreased over 3 wt% addition because an immoderate formation of YAG phases in grain boundary could decrease thermal conductivity by a phonon scattering surpassing the contribution of ${Y_2}{O_3}$ addition.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.561-565
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• 2014

Thermoelectric materials have been the topic of intensive research due to their unique dual capability of directly converting heat into electricity or electrical power into cooling or heating. Bismuth telluride ($Bi_2Te_3$) is the best-known commercially used thermoelectric material in the bulk form for cooling and power generation applications In this work we focus on the large scale synthesis of nanostructured undoped bulk nanostructured $Bi_2Te_3$ materials by employing a novel bottom-up solution-based chemical approach. Spark plasma sintering has been employed for compaction and sintering of $Bi_2Te_3$ nanopowders, resulting in relative density of $g{\cdot}cm^{-3}$ while preserving the nanostructure. The average grain size of the final compacts was obtained as 200 nm after sintering. An improved NS bulk undoped $Bi_2Te_3$ is achieved with sintered at $400^{\circ}C$ for 4 min holding time.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.275-279
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• 2013

Fe-based oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) powders were produced by high energy ball milling, followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS) for consolidation. The mixed powders of 84Fe-14Cr-$2Y_2O_3$ (wt%) were mechanically milled for 10 and 90 mins, and then consolidated at different temperatures ($900{\sim}1100^{\circ}C$). Mechanically-Alloyed (MAed) particles were examined by means of cross-sectional images using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both mechanical alloying and sintering behavior was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). To confirm the thermal behavior of $Y_2O_3$, a replica method was applied after the SPS process. From the SEM observation, MAed powders milled for 10 min showed a lamella structure consisting of rich regions of Fe and Cr, while both regions were fully alloyed after 90 min. The results of sintering behavior clearly indicate that as the SPS temperature increased, micro-sized defects decreased and the density of consolidated ODS alloys increased. TEM images revealed that precipitates smaller than 50 nm consisted of $YCrO_3$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2013

The Ti-6Al-4V extra low interstitial (ELI) alloy has been widely used as an orthopedic implant material because of its excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, it still has many problems, including a high elastic modulus and toxicity of the Al and V elements. Therefore, non-toxic biomaterials with a low elastic modulus need to be developed. A high energy mechanical milling (HEMM) process is introduced to improve the effect of sintering. Rapid sintering of spark plasma sintering (SPS) under pressure was used to make an ultra fine grain of Ti-25 wt.%Nb-7 wt.%Zr-10 wt.%Mo-(10 wt.%CPP) composites with bio-attractive elements for increasing strength. These composites were fabricated by SPS at $1000^{\circ}C$ at 60 MPa using HEMM powders. During the sintering process, $CaTiO_3$, TixOy, and CaO were formed because of the reaction between Ti and CPP. The effects of CPP content on the physical and mechanical properties of the sintered Ti-Nb-Zr-Mo-CPP composites were investigated. The biocompatibility and corrosion resistance of the Ti-Nb-Zr-Mo alloys were improved by the addition of CPP.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.1756-1763
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• 2020

The paper studies spark plasma sintering (SPS) of industrially used UO₂-based fuel containing integral fuel burnable absorber (IFBA) of neutrons Gd₂O₃. Densification dynamics of pristine UO₂ powder and the one added with 2 and 8 wt% of Gd₂O₃ under ultrasonication in liquid has been studied under SPS conditions at 1050, 1250, and 1450 ℃. Effect of sintering temperature on phase composition as well as on O/U stoichiometry has been investigated for UO₂ SPS ceramics. Sintering of uranium dioxide added with Gd₂O₃ yields solid solution (U,Gd)O₂, which is isostructural to UO₂. SEM with EDX and metallography were implemented to analyze the microstructure of the obtained UO₂ ceramics and composite UO₂-Gd₂O₃ one, particularly, open porosity, defects, and Gd₂O₃ distribution were studied. Microhardness, compressive strength and density were shown to reduce after addition of Gd₂O₃. Obtained results prove the hypothesis on formation of stable pores in the system of UO₂-Gd₂O₃ due to Kirkendall effect that reduces sintering efficiency. The paper expands fundamental knowledge on pros and cons of fuel fabrication with IFBA using SPS technology.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.152-158
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• 2000

The crystallographic grain orientation of {{{{ { ZrB}_{2 } }}}}-ZrC composite sintered by pressureless a sintering(PLS) and spark plasma sintering (SPS) was analysed by the SEM-EBSP technique. In the case of PLS, (160) plane of {{{{ { ZrB}_{2 } }}}} was oriented to ND direction, (101) and (111) plane of ZrC were oriented to ND direction. In the case of SPS, (0001) plane of {{{{ { ZrB}_{2 } }}}} was strongly oriented to ND direction. Only (001) plane of ZrC was oriented to ND direction. The PLS specimen had weakly oriented grain structure and interface between {{{{ { ZrB}_{2 } }}}} and ZrC was found to be more stable than that of SPS but the SPS specimen had a preferentially oriented grain structure.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.60 no.11
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• pp.2083-2087
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• 2011

The SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites were produced by subjecting a 40:60 vol.% mixture of zirconium diboride($ZrB_2$) powder and ${\beta}$-silicon carbide (SiC) matrix to spark plasma sintering(SPS). Sintering was carried out for 60sec at $1400^{\circ}C$ (designation as TP145 and TP146), $1500^{\circ}C$(designation as TP155 and TP156) and uniaxial pressure 50MPa, 60MP under argon atmosphere. The physical, electrical, and mechanical properties of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites were examined. The relative density of TP145, TP146, TP155 and TP156 were 94.75%, 94.13%, 97.88% and 95.80%, respectively. Reactions between ${\beeta}$-SiC and $ZrB_2$ were not observed via x-ray diffraction (hereafter, XRD) analysis. The flexural strength, 306.23MPa of TP156 was higher than that, 279.42MPa of TP146 at room temperature, but lower than that, 392.30MPa of TP155. The properties of a SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites through SPS under argon atmosphere were positive temperature coefficient resistance (hereafter, PTCR) in the range from $25^{\circ}C$ to $500^{\circ}C$. The electrical resistivities of TP145, TP146, TP155 and TP156 were $6.75{\times}10^{-4}$, $7.22{\times}10^{-4}$, $6.17{\times}10^{-4}$ and $6.71{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ at $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. The densification of a SiC-$ZrB_2$ composite through hot pressing depend on the sintering temperature and pressure. However, it is convinced that the densification of a SiC-$ZrB_2$ composite do not depend on sintering pressure under SPS.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.399-410
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• 2022

Changes in the mechanical properties and microstructure of an IN 939 W alloy according to the sintering heating rate were evaluated. IN 939 W alloy samples were fabricated by spark plasma sintering. The phase fraction, number density, and mean radius of the IN 939 W alloy were calculated using a thermodynamic calculation. A universal testing machine and micro-Vickers hardness tester were employed to confirm the mechanical properties of the IN 939 W alloy. X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Cs-corrected-field emission transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry were used to evaluate the microstructure of the alloy. The rapid sintering heating rate resulted in a slightly dispersed γ' phase and chromium oxide. It also suppressed the precipitation of the η phase. These helped to reinforce the mechanical properties.