Spark Plasma Sintering
■ The SPS process makes it possible to densify materials while retaining the initial characteristics of powders and to densify difficult materials. The fields of application of SPS machines coupling electrical discharge (up to 8,000 A / 0 - 10 V) and high pressure (up to 500 tonnes for industrial machines) are reactive or non-reactive sintering of nano-materials (keeping the nano-metric scale), composites with metallic matrices and/or cermets, intermetallic compounds, thermo-electric materials or the production of gradient material or fibre-reinforced ceramics, as well as sintering / soldering of components such as polymers and metals.
At the start of 2003, 150 machines were already in use in Japan, but only two in Europe (Stockholm and Dresden) and one in the United States, for applications in fields such as cutting tools (WC without Co), the automobile industry (densification of aluminium-based parts), aeronautics (forming of special alloys), reinforced composites, optics (densification of transparent ceramics), thermics (gradient material) and biology (bio-ceramics).
The materials concerned have multiplied: metals (Fe, Cu, Al, Au, Ag, Ni, Cr, Mo, Sn, Ti, W, Be), oxides (Al2O3, Mullite, ZrO2, MgO, SiO2, TiO2, HfO2), carbides (SiC, B4C, TaC, TiC, WC, ZrC, VC), nitrides: (Si3N4, TaN, TiN, AlN, ZrN, VN), borides (TiB2, HfB2, LaB6, ZrB2,VB2), fluorides (LiF, CaF2, MgF2), cermets (Si3N4 + Ni, Al2O3 + Ni, ZrO2 + Ni,Al2O3 ++ TiC, SUS + ZrO2,Al2O3 + SUS, SUS+WC/Co, BN+Fe, WC + Co + Fe), intermetallic (TiAl, MoSi2, Si3Zr4, NiAl, NbCo, NbAl) or organic (Polyimide, composites).
This survey was written by one of the best European specialists in nano-materials and mechanosynthesis, who was personally involved in implementing the SPS process. In close collaboration with the Japanese constructors of these machines, the author delivers information that will enable you to assess the advantages of this new technology in your applications.
- Publication: May 2003
- 2-906024-31-7
- Price for single work station: 350 euros, ex. tax
- Price for several work stations: 950 euros, ex. tax
