We present in this manuscript that enhanced thermoelectric performance can be achieved in polycrystalline SnSe prepared by hydrothermal reaction and spark plasma sintering (SPS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed strong orientation along the [l 0 0] direction in bulk samples, which was further confirmed by microstructural observation through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and fi...

Finite element simulations have been conducted to determine the temperature distribution (both in radial and axial direction), heat and electric flux-field in the powder compact/die/punch assembly during the spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. A thermal–electrical coupled model with temperature dependent thermal and electrical properties is implemented. The simulation studies were conducted u...

A wider utilization of ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) materials strongly depends on the availability of efficient techniques for their fabrication as dense bodies. Based on recent results reported in the literature, it is possible to state that Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technology offers a useful contribution in this direction. Along these lines, the use of two different SPS-based pr...

Electric current activated/assisted sintering (ECAS) techniques, such as electrical discharge sintering (EDS) or resistive sintering (RS), have been intensively investigated for longer than 50 years. In this work, a novel system including an electrically insulated graphite die for Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) is described, which allows the sintering of any refractory ceramic material in less th...

Densification of cuboidal micrometer-sized lithium fluoride particles as ductile ceramic by spark plasma sintering (SPS) was investigated. Specimens were fabricated at different pressures and temperature conditions, ranging from 2 to 100 MPa at 500 C and from 200 to 700 C under 100 MPa of applied pressure, respectively. Dense specimens of 99 % relative density were fabricated by heating to 500 ...

The aim of this work is to optimize the oxidation resistance of ZrB2-SiC-based composites with different additives. Effect of nine factors including SiC, Cf, MoSi2, HfB2 and ZrC contents, milling time of Cf (M.t) and SPS parameters such as temperature, time and pressure on oxidation resistance in four levels was investigated. Taguchi design was applied to explore effective parameters for ...

Pure HA and 1, 3, 5, and 10 vol% multiwalled carbon nanotube- (MWNT-) reinforced hydroxyapatite (HA) were consolidated using a spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The relative density of pure HA increased with increasing sintering temperature, but that of the MWNT/HA composite reached almost full density at 900°C, and then decreased with further increases in sintering temperature. The relat...

In this article, we report a new route to synthesize diamond by converting "solid" carbon nanofibers with a Spark Plasma Sintering system under low temperature and pressure (even at atmospheric pressure). Well-crystallized diamond crystals are obtained at the tips of the carbon nanofibers after sintering at 1500 °C and atmospheric pressure. Combining with scanning electron microscopy, transmiss...