Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Numerical model for sparking and plasma formation during spark plasma sintering of ceramic compacts

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The conditions for spark discharge and plasma formation in non-conducting ceramic granular compacts subjected to spark plasma sintering (SPS) were analyzed. The SPS plungers-die-powder assembly was modeled, whereby a compact of spherical YAG nanoparticles was considered. Electric resistance of the simulated SPS assembly versus temperature was comparable to that of the experimental SPS system. The conditions for particle surface charging and discharge were determined with respect to the applied current, the SPS temperature, and duration. Sudden increase in the electric current through the simulated granular compact was observed around 1200 °C, confirming the percolative nature of the current. This finding is in agreement with the experimental densification start at 1250 °C. Moreover, the electric current percolation was simulated by passing a DC current through a modeled granular compact box, comprised of resistors and capacitors which resembled the particle’s surface resistivity and the inter-particle gaps, respectively. Spark discharge and plasma formation depend on connectivity within the granular compact and cease with the formation of a close-packed system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Guillon O, Gonzalez-Julian J, Dargatz B, Kessel T, Schierning G, Rathel J, Herrmann M (2014) Field-assisted sintering technology/spark plasma sintering: mechanisms, materials, and technology developments. Adv Eng Mater 16:830–849

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. McWilliams B, Yu J, Zavaliagos A (2015) Fully couples thermal-electric simulation of electric field assisted sintering of net-shape compacts. J Mater Sci 50:519–530. doi:10.1007/s10853-014-8463-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Anselmi-Tamburini U, Gennari S, Garay JE, Munir ZA (2005) Fundamental investigations on the spark plasma sintering/synthesis process II. Modeling of current and temperature distributions. Mater Sci Eng A 394(1):139–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Vanmeensel K, Laptev A, Vleugels J, Van der Biest O (2005) Modelling of the temperature distribution during field assisted sintering. Acta Mater 53:4379–4388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Gurt-Santanach J, Estournès C, Weibel A, Chevallier G, Bley V, Laurent Ch, Peigney A (2011) Influence of pulse current during spark plasma sintering evidenced on reactive alumina–hematite powders. J Eur Ceram Soc 31:2247–2254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Bates JL, Gamier JE (1981) Electrical conductivity of MgAl2O4 and Y2Al5O12. J Am Ceram Soc 64:C138–C141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Chaim R (2013) Electric field effects during spark plasma sintering of ceramic nanoparticles. J Mater Sci 48:502–510. doi:10.1007/s10853-012-6764-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Marder R, Estournès C, Chevallier G, Chaim R (2014) Plasma in spark plasma sintering of ceramic particle compacts. Scripta Mater 82:57–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Marder R, Estournès C, Chevallier G, Chaim R (2015) Spark and plasma in spark plasma sintering of rigid ceramic nanoparticles: a model system of YAG. J Eur Ceram Soc 35:211–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Zhang ZH, Wang FC, Wang L, Li SK, Shen MW, Osamu S (2008) Microstructural characteristics of large-scale ultrafine-grained copper. Mater Charac 59:329–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Saunders T, Grasso S, Reece MJ (2015) Plasma formation during electric discharge (50 v) through conductive powder compacts. J Eur Ceram Soc 35:871–877

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhang Z, Liu Z, Lu J, Shen X, Wang F, Wang Y (2014) The sintering mechanism in spark plasma sintering—proof of the occurrence of spark discharge. Script Mater 81:56–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Saunders T, Grasso S, Reece MJ (2015) Plasma formation during electric discharge (50 V) through conductive powder compacts. J Eur Ceram Soc 35:871–877

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Takuma T (1991) Field behavior at a triple junction in composite dielectric arrangements. IEEE Trans Dielectr Electr Insul 26:500–509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Takuma T, Kawamoto T, Fujinami H (1982) Effect of conduction on field behavior near singular points in composite medium arrangements. IEEE Trans Dielectr Electr Insul El-17 3:269–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Tokita M (1993) Trends in advanced SPS spark plasma sintering systems and technology. J Powder Technol Japan 30:790–804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Meyer S, Song C, Jin Y, Wang K, Makse H (2010) Jamming in two-dimensional packings. Phys A 389:5137–5144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Soille P (1994) Generalized geodesy via geodesic time. Pattern Recogn Lett 15:1235–1240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Pavia A, Durand L, Ajustron F, Bley V, Chevallier G, Peigney A, Estournès C (2013) Electro-thermal measurements and finite element method simulations of a spark plasma sintering device. J Mater Process Tech 213:1327–1336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Molénat G, Durand L, Galy J, Couret A (2010) Temperature control in spark plasma sintering: an FEM approach. J Metal 2010:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ye Y, Li X, Hu K, Lai Y, Li Y (2013) The influence of premolding load on the electrical behavior in the initial stage of electric current activated sintering of carbonyl iron powders. J Appl Phys 113:214902

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Timsit RS (1999) Electrical contact resistance: properties of stationary interfaces. IEEE Trans Compon Packag Technol 22:85–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. German RM (2014) Coordination number changes during powder densification. Powder Technol 253:368–376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Anselmi-Tamburini U, Gennari S, Garay JE, Munir ZA (2005) Fundamental investigations on the spark plasma sintering/synthesis process. Mater Sci Eng A 394:139–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Chaim R (2007) Densification mechanisms in spark plasma sintering of nanocrystalline ceramics. Mater Sci Eng, A 443:25–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Lekner J (2011) Capacitance coefficients of two spheres. J Electrostat 69:11–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

R. Marder acknowledges the support of the fellowship from the Women in Science program of the Israel Ministry of Science and Technology.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel

    R. Marder & R. Chaim

  2. UPS, INP, Institut Carnot Cirimat, Université de Toulouse, 118, route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France

    C. Estournès & G. Chevallier

  3. CNRS, Institut Carnot Cirimat, 31062, Toulouse, France

    C. Estournès & G. Chevallier

Authors
  1. R. Marder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Estournès
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G. Chevallier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. Chaim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Marder.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Marder, R., Estournès, C., Chevallier, G. et al. Numerical model for sparking and plasma formation during spark plasma sintering of ceramic compacts. J Mater Sci 50, 4636–4645 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9015-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9015-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation