Pressureless Sintering of SiC-Whisker-Reinforced Al2O3 Composites: I, Effect of Matrix Powder Surface Area |
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| Authors: | Hae-Weon Lee # Michael D Sacks |
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| Affiliation: | Ceramics Division, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 |
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| Abstract: | Pressureless sintering of SiC-whisker-reinforced Al2O3 composites was investigated. In Part I of the study, the effect of the matrix (Al2O3) powder surface area on densification behavior and microstructure development is reported. Compacts prepared with higher surface area Al2O3 powder showed enhanced densification at lower whisker concentrations (5 and 15 vol%). Samples with 15 vol% whiskers could be pressureless sintered to ～97% relative density with zero open porosity and ～1.6-μm matrix average grain intercept size. |
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| Keywords: | composites alumina surface area sintering whiskers |
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