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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Porous Titanium Parts Fabricated by Sintering of TiH{sub 2} and Ti Powder Mixtures

A new simple powder metallurgy process by sintering TiH{sub 2} powders was used to manufacture porous Ti components. The effects of the processing parameters (pressure of cold isostatic pressing and sintering temperature) and the TiH{sub 2}/Ti ratio in the powder mixtures on the impurities, the linear shrinkage and the pore properties (including overall and open porosities) were comprehensively determined. The addition of TiH{sub 2} as a reactant has been found beneficial for the synthesis of porous Ti components. The formation mechanisms of pores were demonstrated based on the dehydrogenation process of TiH{sub 2} during sintering, resulting in highest reactivity due to the “in statu nascendi” generation of the metal. In addition, the hardness and corrosion resistance of all the sintered samples were evaluated, related to the overall and open porosities. As a result, an optimal composition of Ti-40 wt.% TiH{sub 2} was defined, as its maximum open porosity was about 23%.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Phosphate glass matrix composites incorporating trisilanol phenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane prepared by viscous flow sintering method with enhanced benefits

The effect of mixing and sintering processes to prepare tin fluorophosphate glass (Pglass) matrix composites incorporating trisilanol phenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (TSP-POSS) was investigated by comparing manual and suspension mixing, one-step and stepwise sintering processes to explore the structure dynamics and physical properties in the composites as a function of the different process conditions used. Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed optimal homogeneous dispersion of the TSP-POSS molecules in the composites prepared by the suspension method. The observed increase of glass transition temperature and the reduction of non-bridging bonds in the composites are believed to be the reason for the effective dispersion of TSP-POSS molecules in the composites. The chemical reaction between the TSP-POSS and Pglass was strongly influenced by the mixing/dispersion and sintering processes investigated. 13 C cross polarized magic angle spinning (CP MAS) solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy confirmed the chemical stability of the TSP-POSS during the sintering process at elevated temperatures. In addition, a chemical reaction between the TSP-POSS and Pglass was evidenced by 29 Si CP MAS NMR analysis. Here, this study will provide a better fundamental understanding of the effective dispersion mechanism of the TSP-POSS molecules in the Pglass matrix that will facilitate tailoring the physicochemical properties of the composites with addition of various small concentrations of TSP-POSS for a number of applications where the pure Pglass is not applicable due to the intrinsic properties of the Pglass.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Evaluation of sintering effects on SiC incorporated UO2 kernels under Ar and Ar-4%H2 environments

Silicon carbide (SiC) is suggested as an oxygen getter in UO2 kernels used for TRISO particle fuels to lower oxygen potential and prevent kernel migration during irradiation. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry analyses performed on sintered kernels verified that internal gelation process can be used to incorporate SiC in urania fuel kernels. Sintering in either Ar or Ar-4%H2 at 1500 C lowered the SiC content in the UO2 kernels to some extent. Formation of UC was observed as the major chemical phase in the process, while other minor phases such as U3Si2C2, USi2, U3Si2, and UC2 were also identified. UC formation was presumed to be occurred by two reactions. The first was the SiC reaction with its protective SiO2 oxide layer on SiC grains to produce volatile SiO and free carbon that subsequently reacted with UO2 to form UC. The second process was direct UO2 reaction with SiC grains to form SiO, CO, and UC, especially in Ar-4%H2. A slightly higher density and UC content was observed in the sample sintered in Ar-4%H2, but the use of both atmospheres produced kernels with ~95% of theoretical density. It is suggested that incorporating CO in the sintering gas would prevent UC formation and preserve the initial SiC content.

Silicon carbide uranium oxide↗
DOE OSTI2020

U 3 Si 2 and UO 2 composites densified by spark plasma sintering for accident-tolerant fuels

This work reports the synthesis and characterization of the U 3 Si 2 and UO 2 composites sintered by spark plasma sintering (SPS) with controlled microstructures for accident-tolerant fuel application. The U 3 Si 2 and UO 2 composites with different silicide and oxide ratios were synthesized by SPS at temperatures from 1000 to 1300 °C for 5 minutes. The microstructure and phase composition of the SPS densified composite fuels were characterized with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersed spectroscopy (EDS). A systematic study of the thermal and mechanical properties was conducted using microhardness testing and laser flash apparatus, along with oxidation resistance measurements using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results show that the synthesis of composite fuels can be achieved with a 90% theoretical density (TD) at 1000 °C and over 95% TD when sintered at 1300 °C. XRD and EDS results confirmed that the dominant phases in the composites are U 3 Si 2 and UO 2 . Improved physical density generally leads to improved hardness, fracture toughness, thermal diffusivity, and onset temperature during the oxidation process. U 3 Si 2 was found to play a dominant role in determining the mechanical and oxidation properties of the composite fuels, whereas UO 2 had a more important impact on controlling the thermal diffusivity of the composites. The composite with 50 wt% UO 2 sintered at 1300 °C displayed the onset oxidation temperature of 500 °C by dynamic oxidation testing using TGA at a ramp degree of 10 °C/min. The composite also achieved a high fracture toughness of ~3.5 MPa m ½ . Finally, these results highlight the potential of composite fuel forms densified by SPS with simultaneously enhanced fissile element density, fracture toughness, thermal transport properties, and oxidation resistance.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Microstructure and mechanical properties of NiCoCrAlYTa alloy processed by press and sintering route

Nickel-based superalloys such as NiCoCrAlY are widely used in high-temperature applications, such as gas turbine components in the energy and aerospace industries, due to their strength, high elastic modulus, and high-temperature oxidation resistance. However, the processing of these alloys is complex and costly, and the alloys are currently used as a bond coat in thermal barrier coatings. In this work, the effect of cold press and sintering processing parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of NiCoCrAlY alloy were studied using the powder metallurgy route as a new way to obtain NiCoCrAlYTa samples from a gas atomized prealloyed powder feedstock. High mechanical strength and adequate densification up to 98% were achieved. The most suitable compaction pressure and sintering temperature were determined for NiCoCrAlYTa alloy through microstructure characterization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive spectroscopy microanalysis (EDS) were performed to confirm the expected γ-Ni matrix and β-NiAl phase distribution. Additionally, the results demonstrated the unexpected presence of carbides and Ni–Y-rich zones in the microstructure due to the powder metallurgy processing parameters used. Thus, microhardness, nanoindentation and uniaxial compression tests were conducted to correlate the microstructure of the alloy samples with their mechanical properties under the different studied conditions. The results show that the compaction pressure did not significantly affect the mechanical properties of the alloy samples. In this work, the compaction pressures of 400, 700 and 1000 MPa were used. The sintering temperature of 1200 °C for NiCoCrAlYTa alloy was preferred; above this temperature, the improvement in mechanical properties is not significant due to grain coarsening, whereas a lower temperature produces a decrease in mechanical properties due to high porosity and poor solid-state diffusion. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • We made NiCoCrAlYTa alloy by a conventional powder metallurgy route. • High densification and adequate strength were observed. • The presence of unexpected carbides found along γ/γ and γ/β grain boundaries was detected. • The effect of cold press and sintering processing parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties were studied.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Fabrication of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-20 vol.% Al nanocomposite powders using high energy milling and their sinterability

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Al nanocomposite powders were prepared via high energy ball milling. After 20 h milling, the size of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-20 vol.% Al nanocomposite particles was in the range of 23-29 nm. A uniform distribution of nanosized Al reinforcement throughout the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} matrix, coating the particles was successfully obtained. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer There was no any sign of phase changes during the milling. A competition between the cold welding mechanism and the fracturing mechanism were found during milling and finally the above two mechanisms reached an equilibrium. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The highest value of relative density was obtained for the sintered bodies at 1500 Degree-Sign C. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The harness of the sintered composite was decreased while the fracture toughness was improved after addition Al into alumina. -- Abstract: In this study, alumina-based matrix nanocomposite powders reinforced with Al particles were fabricated and investigated. The sinterability of the prepared nanocomposite powder at different firing temperature was also conducted. Their mechanical properties in terms of hardness and toughness were tested. Alumina and aluminum powder mixtures were milled in a planetary ball mill for various times up to 30 h in order to produce Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-20% Al nanocomposite. The phase composition, morphological and microstructural changes during mechanical milling of the nanocomposite particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques, respectively. The crystallite size and internal strain were evaluated by XRD patterns using Scherrer methods. A uniform distribution of the Al reinforcement in the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} matrix was successfully obtained after milling the powders. The results revealed that there was no any sign of phase changes during the milling. The crystal size decreased with the prolongation of milling times, while the internal strain increased. A simple model is presented to illustrate the mechanical alloying of a ductile-brittle component system. A competition between the cold welding mechanism and the fracturing mechanism were found during powder milling and finally the above two mechanisms reached an equilibrium. The maximum relative density was obtained at 1500 Degree-Sign C. The harness of the sintered composite was decreased while the fracture toughness was improved after addition Al into alumina.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2012

Low-temperature sintering behavior of nanocrystalline indium tin oxide prepared from polymer-containing sols

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The synthesis of ITO powders and thin films from PVP-containing sols is presented. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The nano- and microstructures of ITO are more compact when PVP is used. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PVP acts both as a steric stabilizer of the sol and as a pre-sintering agent. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The PVP-induced enhanced sintering results in ITO with lower electrical resistance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The surface composition of the ITO films is independent of the initial PVP content. -- Abstract: Indium tin hydroxide (ITH) xerogel powders and thin films with different polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) contents (0-22%, w/w) were prepared by a classical sol-gel method. To obtain nanocrystalline indium tin oxide (ITO), the ITH xerogels were calcined at 550 Degree-Sign C. The effect of the initial polymer content on the structure of the ITO powders was studied by means of N{sub 2}-sorption measurements, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The N{sub 2}-sorption measurements revealed that the ITO powders obtained contained micropores and both their porosity and specific surface area decreased with increasing PVP content of the ITH xerogels. The SAXS measurements confirmed the enhanced sintering of the particles in the presence of PVP. The calculated mass fractal dimensions of the ITO powders increased significantly, indicating a significant compaction in structure. The pre-sintered structure could be achieved at relatively low temperature, which induced a significant decreasing (three orders of magnitude) in the electrical resistance of the ITO films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ultrafast Sintering and Dopant Effects in Garnet LLZO Solid Electrolytes

High-throughput, low-cost manufacturing, and optimization of solid electrolytes are necessary for the adoption of solid-state batteries. In this work, garnet-type Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (LLZO) with different aliovalent dopants, 𝑇𝑎$_{^·_{𝑍𝑟}}$, 𝐴𝑙$^{··}_{𝐿𝑖}$, and 𝐺𝑎$^{··}_{𝐿𝑖}$, have been ultrafast-sintered with different temperature ramping rates. The densification behavior, phases, their evolution, and surface chemistry of different LLZO have been investigated and linked to their electrochemical performances. It has been shown that LLZO with 𝑇𝑎$_{^·_{𝑍𝑟}}$ dopant demonstrates the highest garnet phase purity and overall best electrochemical performances, and ultrafast sintering further improves densification, ionic conductivity, and electrochemical stability. On the other hand, LLZO doped with 𝐴𝑙$^{··}_{𝐿𝑖}$ and 𝐺𝑎$^{··}_{𝐿𝑖}$ are reaching higher cubic phase purities and ionic conductivities via conventional sintering, indicating undesirable dopant migration and segregation during the ultrafast sintering process. In conclusion, these findings provide insights into the manufacturing of solid electrolyte materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Unravelling Adsorbate-Metal-Oxide Interactions: Water Vapor Chemistry on the Growth and Sintering of Ni over Reducible CeO2(111) Thin Films

The role of water in the growth and sintering of Ni particles over well-ordered CeOx(111) (1.5 < x < 2) thin films was investigated through scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies, considering ceria-supported Ni attracts great attention as a promising catalyst for reactions such as steam reforming of ethanol and water gas shift reaction, in which water vapor is used as a key reactant. In the study, both fully oxidized CeO2 and partially reduced CeO1.75 thin films were prepared to examine the effect of the oxygen vacancies/Ce3+ sites in ceria supports. Our STM results revealed that dosing water before or after Ni deposition over the CeOx(111) surfaces at room temperature influenced the sintering behavior of Ni nanoparticles with further heating. Exposure of water to Ni nanoparticles that were deposited over both CeO2 and CeO1.75 at 300 K causes the formation of flatter particles with significantly reduced height when heating to the same temperatures compared to Ni/ceria with no water adsorbates. The flatter Ni particles were also observed when water was first dosed over CeO2 at 300 K followed by Ni deposition at room temperature and further heating. Over a partially reduced CeO1.75 surface with predosed water at 300 K, there is an extensive decrease in the particle density upon subsequent Ni deposition at room temperature and a significant increase in the height for Ni nanoparticles with further heating to higher temperatures compared to Ni over a pristine CeO1.75 surface. This is due to the filling of oxygen vacancies caused by the dissociation of water. This creates fewer nucleation sites for Ni on ceria, weakening the metal-oxide interaction and causing significant metal sintering. Our experimental findings suggest distinct adsorbate-metal-oxide interactions are key to the tuning of sintering of Ni nanoparticles over the CeOx(111) surface caused by water exposure. Such interactions are essential for the further modification of Ni-based catalysts for improved reactivity and stability.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Sintering of Pt nanoparticles via volatile PtO 2 : Simulation and comparison with experiments

It is a longstanding question whether sintering of platinum under oxidizing conditions is mediated by surface migration of Pt species or through the gas phase, by PtO 2 (g). Clearly, a rational approach to avoid sintering requires understanding the underlying mechanism. A basic theory for the simulation of ripening through the vapor phase has been derived by Wynblatt and Gjostein. Recent modeling efforts, however, have focused entirely on surface-mediated ripening. In this work, we explicitly model ripening through PtO 2 (g) and study how oxygen pressure, temperature, and shape of the particle size distribution affect sintering. On the basis of the available data on α-quartz, adsorption of monomeric Pt species on the support is extremely weak and has therefore not been explicitly simulated, while this may be important for more strongly interacting supports. Our simulations clearly show that ripening through the gas phase is predicted to be relevant. Assuming clean Pt particles, sintering is generally overestimated. This can be remedied by explicitly including oxygen coverage effects that lower both surface free energies and the sticking coefficient of PtO 2 (g). Additionally, mass-transport limitations in the gas phase may play a role. Using a parameterization that accounts for these effects, we can quantitatively reproduce a number of experiments from the literature, including pressure and temperature dependence. Lastly, this substantiates the hypothesis of ripening via PtO 2 (g) as an alternative to surface-mediated ripening.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

All-Materials-Inclusive Flash Spark Plasma Sintering

A new flash (ultra-rapid) spark plasma sintering method applicable to various materials systems, regardless of their electrical resistivity, is developed. A number of powders ranging from metals to electrically insulative ceramics have been successfully densified resulting in homogeneous microstructures within sintering times of 8–35 s. A finite element simulation reveals that the developed method, providing an extraordinary fast and homogeneous heating concentrated in the sample’s volume and punches, is applicable to all the different samples tested. The utilized uniquely controllable flash phenomenon is enabled by the combination of the electric current concentration around the sample and the confinement of the heat generated in this area by the lateral thermal contact resistance. The presented new method allows: extending flash sintering to nearly all materials, controlling sample shape by an added graphite die, and an energy efficient mass production of small and intermediate size objects. This approach represents also a potential venue for future investigations of flash sintering of complex shapes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Sintering protonic zirconate cells with enhanced electrolysis stability and Faradaic efficiency

The emerging applications of steam electrolysis and electrochemical synthesis at 300–600 °C set stringent requirements on the stability of protonic ceramic cells, which cannot be met by Ce-rich electrolytes. A promising candidate is Ce-free BaZr 0.8 Y 0.2 O 3–δ , but its usage has long been hindered due to the high sintering temperatures required for protonic devices. Here we resolved the issue through a co-sintering process, in which the shrinkage stress of a readily sinterable support layer helps to densify the pure BaZr 0.8 Y 0.2 O 3–δ electrolyte membrane at low temperatures. This approach eliminates Ce and harmful sintering aids in the dense zirconate electrolyte membrane, thereby enhancing the Faradaic efficiency and electrochemical stability, especially under harsh operating conditions. Here, the protonic zirconate cells have exceptional performance and demonstrate stable high-steam pressure electrolysis up to 0.7 atm steam pressure, –2 A cm –2 current density and over 800 h of dynamic operation at 600 °C. Our processing breakthrough enables stabilized protonic cells for demanding applications in future energy infrastructure.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Mn doping effect on optical and ESR studies of Zn{sub 1-x}Mn{sub x}O compound sintered at different temperatures

Polycrystalline bulk samples of Zn{sub 1-x}Mn{sub x}O with x=0.02, 0.04, 0.05 and sintered at different temperatures (500 °C & 800 °C) were studied to investigate the doping effect on the structural, optical properties and spin dynamics in ZnO system. The crystallite size was seen to decrease with no significant change in other structural parameters. FTIR study showed a small effect on the Zn-O stretching bond and other bonds due to presence of Mn. Calculation from UV-Vis spectra showed increase in the optical band gap in the low temperature sintered samples due to Mn doping. In the PL spectra, the UV emission seen to dominate for the 500 °C sintered sample, for 800 °C sample the visible emission dominate indicating increase in non-radiative emission. ESR signals obtained from the microwave absorption shows ferromagnetic signal for the low temperature sintered sample only with a g value of 2.004 for the 2% Mn doped sample. The number of spin participation for resonance is calculated from the ESR signal, which supports the magnetic behaviour of this particular sample.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Thermomechanical Performance of Si-Ti-C-O and Sintered SiC Fiber-Bonded Ceramics at High Temperatures

The stress-temperature-lifetime response of Si-Ti-C-O fiber-bonded ceramic (Tyrannohex ) and sintered SiC fiber-bonded ceramic (SA-Tyrannohex ) materials were investigated in air from 500 to 1150 C and 500 to 1400 C, respectively. The apparent threshold stress of Si-Ti-C-O fiber-bonded ceramic was about 175 MPa in the 500-1150 C temperature range. When the applied stress of the sintered SiC fiber-bonded ceramic was below an apparent threshold stress (e.g., ~225MPa) for tests conducted 1150 C, no failures were observed for lifetimes up to 1000h. In the case of sintered SiC fiber-bonded ceramic, at the temperature of 1300 C, the apparent threshold stress decreased to 175 MPa. The decrease in strength seemed to be caused by grain growth which was confirmed from the SEM fractography. Both fiber-bonded ceramics exhibited much higher durability than a commercial SiC/SiC composite at temperatures above 500 C. In addition, results suggested that the sintered SiC fiber-bonded ceramic (SA-Tyrannohex) is more stable than a Hi-Nicalon/MI SiC composite with BN/SiC fiber coating at temperatures above 1300 C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

On the synchronicity of flash sintering and phase transformation

There is growing evidence that oxides of complex chemistries can be formed in one step by reactive flash sintering of their elemental constituents. We explore the temporal relationship between phase transformation and sintering by combining measurements of sintering with in situ measurements of phase transformation. The experiments are carried out under current rate, where flash is induced by injecting current and increasing it at a constant rate. We show that phase transformation of powders of magnesia and α-alumina into single-phase magnesium aluminate spinel was completed in 45 seconds, whereas sintering to full density required 60 seconds.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Laser Sintering of Printed Anodes for Al-Air Batteries

We report on a 3D printed Al anode for Al-air battery combined with laser sintering method. We verified that laser sintering contributed to effective removal of the organic solvent in the slurry and increased the conductivity of the printed anode. By application of infrared laser sintering, we significantly improved electrical contacts of Al nanoparticles and electrochemical performance of Al-air cells. A Pt/C coated hydrophobic carbon paper was used for air cathode to provide a good electrical contact, an oxygen flow ability, and the water sealing. Gel-style KOH was introduced as the electrolyte and waterways also utilized in the chemical reaction. The laser sintered Al-air battery could provide 239 mAh/g discharge capacity and a 0.95 V operation voltage. Also, a 3D structured anode was fabricated by 3D printing the active material on current collectors to achieve a high mass-loading with active material thickness of 360 μm, 560 μm and 680 μm for 1, 2 and 3 layers 3D printed electrodes. The battery cells provide areal discharge capacities of 1.5 mAh/cm 2 , 2.8mAh/cm 2 , and 3.23 mAh/cm 2 , respectively for 1, 2 and 3 layers-electrodes.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Dissolution of Sintered Mo Disks

Processing of irradiated Mo-target disks from the production of Mo-99 using the ($\gamma$, n) reaction on Mo-100 must be rapid, due to the relatively short half-life of Mo-99 (T = 66 hr). Approximately 1% of Mo-99 is lost every hour due to its decay. Two potential methods for processing Mo-target disks have been proposed previously as good candidates: (1) electrochemical dissolution in hydroxide solution (Dale et al. 2010); and (2) dissolution in hydrogen peroxide (Dale et al. 2010; Chemerisov et al. 2011). The main disadvantage of the electrochemical approach was the passivation of the disks during dissolution, which required the addition of hydrogen peroxide. In addition, it was hard to maintain good electrical contact with the Mo disks as the dissolution progressed and the disks shrank. Therefore, more focus was put on processing Mo disks in hydrogen peroxide, because some initial results using sintered Mo disks were very promising (Dale et al. 2010; Chemerisov et al. 2011). We report experimental results on processing of sintered Mo disks in 30% hydrogen peroxide. The advantage of this approach is that, after the dissolution of the disks, potassium hydroxide can be added to form potassium molybdate, and excess hydrogen peroxide can be easily destroyed by heating. Dissolution studies of Mo sintered disks were performed in order to better understand how the disks’ properties can affect the dissolution rates. From the production point of view, it is desirable to have the highest-density target; putting more Mo-100 in the accelerator beam would lead to a higher Mo-99 yield. However, due to the short half-life of Mo-99, it is also necessary for the processing time for the irradiated target disks to be as short as possible. Experiments were performed to study and optimize the properties of Mo sintered disks for the production of disks with high density and good dissolution rates.

Tkac, Peter↗
DOE OSTI2017

Peridynamic Theory as a New Paradigm for Multiscale Modeling of Sintering

Sintering is a component fabrication process in which powder is compacted by pressing or some other means and then held at elevated temperature for a period of hours. The powder grains bond with each other, leading to the formation of a solid component with much lower porosity, and therefore higher density and higher strength, than the original powder compact. In this project, we investigated a new way of computationally modeling sintering at the length scale of grains. The model uses a high-fidelity, three-dimensional representation with a few hundred nodes per grain. The numerical model solves the peridynamic equations, in which nonlocal forces allow representation of the attraction, adhesion, and mass diffusion between grains. The deformation of the grains is represented through a viscoelastic material model. The project successfully demonstrated the use of this method to reproduce experimentally observed features of material behavior in sintering, including densification, the evolution of microstructure, and the occurrence of random defects in the sintered solid.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗