• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.5 s.52
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• pp.345-350
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• 2005

In this study the nanostructured ${\alpha}-Al_{2}O_3$ ceramics have been fabricated by the combined application of magnetic pulsed compaction (MPC) and subsequent spark plasma sintering (SPS), and their density and hardness properties were investigated. The ${\alpha}-Al_{2}O_3$ prepared by the combined processes showed an increase by $8.4\%$ in density, approaching the value close to the true density, and an enhancement by $210\~400\;Hv$ in hardness, compared to those fabricated by MPC or static compaction method followed by sintering treatment.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2011

Using the spark plasma sintering process (SPS process), the WC-6wt.%Co hard materials were densified using an ultra fine WC-Co powder. The WC-Co was almost completely dense with a relative density of up to 100% after the simultaneous application of a pressure of 60 MPa and the DC pulse current for 3 min without any significant change in the grain size. The average grain size of WC that was produced through this experiment was about $0.2{\sim}0.8{\mu}m$. The hardness and fracture toughness were about $1816kg/mm^2$ and $15.1MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$, respectively, for 60 MPa at $1200^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.101-105
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• 2023

A mixture of elemental Co₅₀Si₅₀ powders was subjected to mechanical alloying (MA) at room temperature to prepare a CoSi thermoelectric compound. Consolidation of the Co₅₀Si₅₀ mechanically alloyed powders was performed in a spark plasma sintering (SPS) machine using graphite dies up to 800 ℃ and 1,000 ℃ under 50 MPa. We have revealed that a nanocrystalline CoSi thermoelectric compound can be produced from a mixture of elemental Co₅₀Si₅₀ powders by mechanical alloying after 20 hours. The average grain size estimated from a Hall plot of the CoSi intermetallic compound prepared after 40 hours of MA was 65 nm. The degree of shrinkage of the consolidated samples during SPS became significant at about 450 ℃. All of the compact bodies had a high relative density of more than 94 % with a metallic glare on the surface. X-ray diffraction data showed that the SPS compact produced by sintering mechanically alloyed powders for 40-hours up to 800 ℃ consisted of only nanocrystalline CoSi with a grain size of 110 nm.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.365-372
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• 2020

Predicting the quality of materials after they are subjected to plasma sintering is a challenging task because of the non-linear relationships between the process variables and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the variables governing the sintering process affect the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the final product. Therefore, an artificial neural network modeling was carried out to correlate the parameters of the spark plasma sintering process with the densification and hardness values of Ti-6Al-4V alloys dispersed with nano-sized TiN particles. The relative density (%), effective density (g/㎤), and hardness (HV) were estimated as functions of sintering temperature (℃), time (min), and composition (change in % TiN). A total of 20 datasets were collected from the open literature to develop the model. The high-level accuracy in model predictions (>80%) discloses the complex relationships among the sintering process variables, product quality, and mechanical performance. Further, the effect of sintering temperature, time, and TiN percentage on the density and hardness values were quantitatively estimated with the help of the developed model.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.185-192
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• 2020

In this study, materials characterization of pure copper and copper based carbon nano-tube composite prepared by powder metallurgy method were investigated. Prior to evaluate materials characterization, spark plasma sintering processing variables such as sintering temperature, pressure, thickness and diameter of compacts was optimized to ensure the microstructure and materials property of pure Cu and Cu-CNT composite. In addition, corrosion behavior of Cu-based CNT composite produced by powder sintering method was investigated. It was confirmed from this study that the corroded surfaces of the composite shows less dissolution compared with pure copper in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. The measured corrosion current density (I_corr) indicates improved corrosion property of Cu based composite containing small additions of CNTs in chloride containing media. Micro-galvanic activity between Cu and CNT was not observed in given sintering condition.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.181-186
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• 2008

In this study, tantalum (Ta) compacts were fabricated in a spark plasma sintering (SPS) process and their microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. Ta compacts with a density of 99% were successfully fabricated by controlling the sintering conditions of the current and the temperature. The density and hardness were increased as the sintering temperature increased. The $Ta_2C$ compound was observed at the surface of the compacts due to the contact between the Ta powder and graphite mold during the sintering process. The main fracture mode showed a mixed type with intergranular and transgranular modes having some roughness.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.529-530
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• 2006

This paper concerned with SPS (spark plasma sintering), hot pressing of sinter nanometer WC-Co powder and discussed the density, hardness, microstructures and grain sizes of the alloys sintered. The results showed that the two sintered techniques could produce high density alloys and play well on the grain growth, but SPS could lower the sintering temperature and shorten sintering time. Besides, the hardness of the sintered cemented alloys that was dependent on the grain size and densification could also be improved.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.326-335
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• 2009

Fe based (Fe$_{68.2}$C$_{5.9}$Si$_{3.5}$B$_{6.7}$P$_{9.6}$Cr$_{2.1}$Mo$_{2.0}$Al$_{2.0}$) amorphous powder, which is a composition of iron blast cast slag, were produced by a gas atomization process, and sequently mixed with ductile Cu powder by a mechanical ball milling process. The Fe-based amorphous powders and the Fe-Cu composite powders were compacted by a spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. Densification of the Fe amorphous-Cu composited powders by spark plasma sintering of was occurred through a plastic deformation of the each amorphous powder and Cu phase. The SPS samples milled by AGO-2 under 500 rpm had the best homogeneity of Cu phase and showed the smallest Cu pool size. Micro-Vickers hardness of the as-SPSed specimens was changed with the milling processes.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.172-177
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• 2002

The CuZnAl alloys have some advantages against other shape memory alloys, such as the widely variable transformation temperature, the low cost and easy fabrication. The alloys have been produced mostly by metallurgical methods. Thereby a tendency to large grain sizes is observed, which causes brittle properties of the materials. In order to avoid these deficiencies a special powder metallurgical process, SPS(spark plasma sintering), is applied in the present investigation. The starting materials were the pure (99.9 %) Cu, Zn and Al element powders with different particle size. The relatively fine grained and homogeneous Cu-24.78Zn-9.11Al (at.%) and Cu-13.22Zn-17.24Al (at.%) shape memory alloys were obtained using the powders with size of 75-150 $\mu$m. The average grain size is about 70 $\mu$m and the phases at room temperature are the austenitic and martensitic phase respectively.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.426-431
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• 2015

Microstructural examination of the Nb-Si-B alloys at Nb-rich compositions is performed. The Nb-rich corner of the Nb-Si-B system is favorable in that the constituent phases are Nb (ductile and tough phase with high melting temperature) and $T_2$ phase (very hard intermetallic compound with favorable oxidation resistance) which are good combination for high temperature structural materials. The samples containing compositions near Nb-rich corner of the Nb-Si-B ternary system are prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process using $T_2$ and Nb powders. $T_2$ bulk phase is made in arc furnace by melting the Nb slug and the Si-B powder compact. The $T_2$ bulk phase was subsequently ball-milled to powders. SPS is performed at $1300^{\circ}C$ and $1400^{\circ}C$, depending on the composition, under 30 MPa for 600s, to produce disc-shaped specimen with 15 mm in diameter and 3 mm high. Hardness tests (Rockwell A-scale and micro Vickers) are carried out to estimate the mechanical property.