Investigation of Electrochemical, Optical and Thermal Effects during Flash Sintering of 8YSZ.

This paper reports the electrochemical, optical and thermal effects occurring during flash sintering of 8 mol % yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ). In-situ observations of polycrystalline and single crystal specimens revealed electrochemical blackening/darkening during an incubation period prior to flash sintering. The phenomenon is induced by cathodic partial reduction under DC fields.

Titanium Dioxide Engineered for Near-dispersionless High Terahertz Permittivity and Ultra-low-loss.

Realising engineering ceramics to serve as substrate materials in high-performance terahertz(THz) that are low-cost, have low dielectric loss and near-dispersionless broadband, high permittivity, is exceedingly demanding. Such substrates are deployed in, for example, integrated circuits for synthesizing and converting nonplanar and 3D structures into planar forms. The Rutile form of titanium dioxide (TiO) has been widely accepted as commercially economical candidate substrate that meets demands for both low-loss and high permittivities at sub-THz bands.

Using graphene networks to build bioinspired self-monitoring ceramics.

The properties of graphene open new opportunities for the fabrication of composites exhibiting unique structural and functional capabilities. However, to achieve this goal we should build materials with carefully designed architectures. Here, we describe the fabrication of ceramic-graphene composites by combining graphene foams with pre-ceramic polymers and spark plasma sintering.

Novel Preparation, Microstructure, and Properties of Polyacrylonitrile-Based Carbon Nanofiber-Graphene Nanoplatelet Materials.

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers containing various concentrations of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were prepared by pressurized gyration, and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were obtained after subsequent heat treatment and spark plasma sintering (SPS). The influence of processing parameters such as rotational speed, working pressure, carbonization, and SPS temperature on the diameter of the nanofibers has been studied. Furthermore, the thermal properties, morphologies, and crystallization properties of the CNFs have been investigated by using thermogravimetry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy.

The effect of spark plasma sintering on lithium disilicate glass-ceramics.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of spark plasma sintering (SPS) on the microstructure of lithium disilicate glass-ceramics.

Methods: IPS e.max CAD glass-ceramic samples were processed using spark plasma sintering (SPS) and conventionally sintered (CS) as a comparison.

45S5 Bioglass(®)-MWCNT composite: processing and bioactivity.

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-Bioglass (BG) matrix composite was fabricated using a facile and scalable aqueous colloidal processing method without using any surfactants followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS) consolidation. The individual MWCNTs were initially uniformly dispersed in water and then entirely immobilized on the BG particles during the colloidal processing, avoiding their common re-agglomeration during the water-removal and drying step, which guaranteed their uniform dispersion within the dense BG matrix after the consolidation process. SPS was used as a fast sintering technique to minimise any damage to the MWCNT structure during the high-temperature consolidation process.

Effect of Spark Plasma Sintering on the Structure and Properties of TiZrNiSn Half-Heusler Alloys.

XNiSn (X = Ti, Zr and Hf) half-Heusler alloys have promising thermoelectric properties and are attracting enormous interest for use in waste heat recovery. In particular, multiphase behaviour has been linked to reduced lattice thermal conductivities, which enables improved energy conversion efficiencies. This manuscript describes the impact of spark plasma sintering (SPS) on the phase distributions and thermoelectric properties of TiZrNiSn based half-Heuslers.

Processing and bioactivity of 45S5 Bioglass(®)-graphene nanoplatelets composites.

Well dispersed 45S5 Bioglass(®) (BG)-graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) composites were prepared after optimising the processing conditions. Fully dense BG nanocomposites with GNP loading of 1, 3 and 5 vol% were consolidated using Spark plasma sintering (SPS). SPS avoided any structural damage of GNP as confirmed using Raman spectroscopy.

Toughened and machinable glass matrix composites reinforced with graphene and graphene-oxide nano platelets.

The processing conditions for preparing well dispersed silica-graphene nanoplatelets and silica-graphene oxide nanoplatelets (GONP) composites were optimized using powder and colloidal processing routes. Fully dense silica-GONP composites with up to 2.5 vol% loading were consolidated using spark plasma sintering.

Phase stability and rapid consolidation of hydroxyapatite-zirconia nano-coprecipitates made using continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis.

A rapid and continuous hydrothermal route for the synthesis of nano-sized hydroxyapatite rods co-precipitated with calcium-doped zirconia nanoparticles using a superheated water flow at 450°C and 24.1 MPa as a crystallizing medium is described. Hydroxyapatite and calcium-doped zirconia phases in the powder mixtures could be clearly identified based on particle size and morphology under transmission electron microscopy.

Polarization dynamics and non-equilibrium switching processes in ferroelectrics.

Time- and temperature-dependent effects are critical for the operation of non-volatile memories based on ferroelectrics. In this paper, we assume a domain nucleation process of the polarization reversal and we discuss the polarization dynamics in the framework of a non-equilibrium statistical model. This approach yields analytical expressions which can be used to explain a wide range of time- and temperature-dependent effects in ferroelectrics.

High-strength nanograined and translucent hydroxyapatite monoliths via continuous hydrothermal synthesis and optimized spark plasma sintering.

The synthesis of high-strength, completely dense nanograined hydroxyapatite (bioceramic) monoliths is a challenge as high temperatures or long sintering times are often required. In this study, nanorods of hydroxyapatite (HA) and calcium-deficient HA (made using a novel continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis method) were consolidated using spark plasma sintering (SPS) up to full theoretical density in ∼5 min at temperatures up to 1000°C. After significant optimization of the SPS heating and loading cycles, fully dense HA discs were obtained which were translucent, suggesting very high densities.

A novel route for processing cobalt-chromium-molybdenum orthopaedic alloys.

Spark plasma sintering has been used for the first time to prepare the ASTM F75 cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) orthopaedic alloy composition using nanopowders. In the preliminary work presented in this report, the effect of processing variables on the structural features of the alloy (phases present, grain size and microstructure) has been investigated. Specimens of greater than 99.