Equilibrium States of Liquid, Solid, and Vapor and the Configurations for Copper, Tungsten, and Pores in Liquid-Phase Sintering

The equilibrium state of the liquid–solid structure during liquid-phase sintering (LPS) is pondered with respect to minimum energy geometries. Besides the solid–liquid ratio, several interfacial energies determine the most stable geometric configuration. In this study, we rely on the attributes of the copper or nickel as the liquid, tungsten as the solid, and vapor to solve for terminal configurations that include liquid pools inside the solid grains. Surface evolution is enabled using a stepwise computer program[1] to rearrange and reshape small grain clusters reflective of LPS based on a preset combination of wetting and dihedral angles. The findings show how different interfacial energies, as a result of oxidation or impurity segregation, play a role in determining the final geometry. The specific concern is identification of situations in which a liquid is stable inside the solid, as observed in some LPS materials.