Comparison of Conventional and Flash Spark Plasma Sintering of Cu–Cr Pseudo-Alloys: Kinetics, Structure, Properties

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is widely used for the consolidation of different materials. Copper-based pseudo alloys have found a variety applications including as electrodes in vacuum interrupters high-voltage electric circuits. How does kinetics SPS such depend on heating rate? Do microstructure media to be sintered? These questions were addressed by investigation rate range 0.1 50 K/s. The latter conditions achieved through flash spark (FSPS). We also compared conventional copper–chromium mixture and mechanically induced copper/chromium nanostructured particles. It was shown that, under FSPS conditions, observed maximum rates 20–30 times higher than that with 100 K/min. Under investigated composite Cu/Cr particles 2–4 Cu + Cr mixtures. apparent activation energy powder twice less Cu–Cr mixture. concluded powders an efficient approach fabrication pseudo-alloys.