Abstract
In traditional ceramic processing techniques, high sintering temperature is necessary to achieve fully dense microstructures. But it can cause various problems including warpage, overfiring, element evaporation, and polymorphic transformation. To overcome these drawbacks, a novel processing technique called “cold sintering process (CSP)” has been explored by Randall et al. CSP enables densification of ceramics at ultra-low temperature (⩽300°C) with the assistance of transient aqueous solution and applied pressure. In CSP, the processing conditions including aqueous solution, pressure, temperature, and sintering duration play critical roles in the densification and properties of ceramics, which will be reviewed. The review will also include the applications of CSP in solid-state rechargeable batteries. Finally, the perspectives about CSP is proposed.
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The authors thank Loughborough-China Materials Partnership Scholarship provided by Department of Materials, Loughborough University.
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Tong Yu is pursuing her PhD degree in Materials under the supervision of Dr. Xujin Bao and Dr. Hongtao Zhang at Department of Materials, Loughborough University, UK. She attained her BSc degree in Biomaterials from Beijing University of Chemical Technology and MSc degree in Polymer Science and Technology from Loughborough University. Her current research interests focus on cold sintering process to produce transparent conducting oxides targets, solid-state electrolytes and ceramic-polymer electrolytes for all-solid-state Li-ion batteries.
Dr. Xujin Bao attained a BSc and MEng from the department of Materials Science and Engineering at South China University of Technology, China. He then worked as a lecturer in Beijing University of Chemical Technology for six years. He completed his PhD in Materials Chemistry at Northumbria University in 1997. He worked as research assistant in Brunel University, Loughborough University and Queen Mary University of London. He became a lecturer in 2000 then senior lecturer 2006 in the Department of Materials at Loughborough University, UK. His research interests cover hybrid composites and functional materials via novel synthetic methods, cold sintering of functional ceramics.
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Yu, T., Cheng, J., Li, L. et al. Current understanding and applications of the cold sintering process. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng. 13, 654–664 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-019-1832-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-019-1832-1