Sintering of powder metal compacts is one of the basic oper ations in powder metallurgy. The useful properties of a machine part are obtained after considerable densification of the sintered material. Although the mechanical properties of the part depend on other structural factors besides porosity, porosity is the main factor. Usually, the practical problem in sintering is to obtain a part with the desired or permissible porosity. Thus, knowledge of the laws governing densification and its final result is neces sary to control this process in the production of powder metal parts. The laws governing densification are also important for a more exact physical theory of sintering, which is still in the initial stages of its development. Such processes as the change in the density of lattice defects and the flow of crystalline substances during sintering have not yet received a complete physical inter pretation. Analysis of the laws of sintering may provide addition al material for more complete phenomenological characteristics of these processes that will be useful for further development of theoretical concepts of the flow of imperfect crystals under small loads. Although a substantial amount of experimental material has been accumulated, generalizations are still difficult.

Sintering of powder metal compacts is one of the basic oper ations in powder metallurgy. The useful properties of a machine part are obtained after considerable densification of the sintered material. Although the mechanical properties of the part depend on other structural factors besides porosity, porosity is the main factor. Usually, the practical problem in sintering is to obtain a part with the desired or permissible porosity. Thus, knowledge of the laws governing densification and its final result is neces sary to control this process in the production of powder metal parts. The laws governing densification are also important for a more exact physical theory of sintering, which is still in the initial stages of its development. Such processes as the change in the density of lattice defects and the flow of crystalline substances during sintering have not yet received a complete physical inter pretation. Analysis of the laws of sintering may provide addition al material for more complete phenomenological characteristics of these processes that will be useful for further development of theoretical concepts of the flow of imperfect crystals under small loads. Although a substantial amount of experimental material has been accumulated, generalizations are still difficult.

Sintering is the process of forming materials and components from a powder under the action of thermal energy. It is a key materials science subject: most ceramic materials and many specialist metal powder products for use in key industries such as electronics, automotive and aerospace are formed this way. Written by one of the leading experts in the field, this book offers an unrivalled introduction to sintering and sintering processes for students of materials science and engineering, and practicing engineers in industry. The book is unique in providing a complete grounding in the principles of sintering and equal coverage of the three key sintering processes: densification, grain growth and microstructure. Students and professional engineers alike will be attracted by the emphasis on developing a detailed understanding of the theory and practical processes of sintering, the balanced coverage of ceramic and metal sintering, and the accompanying examination questions with selected solutions. - Delivering unrivalled depth of coverage on the basis of sintering, science, including thermodynamics and polycrystalline microstructure. - Unique in its balanced coverage of the three key sintering elements - densification, grain growth and microstructure. - A key reference for students and engineers in materials science and engineering, accompanied by examination questions and selected solutions.

Sintering is a method for manufacturing components from ceramic or metal powders by heating the powder until the particles adhere to form the component required. The resulting products are characterised by an enhanced density and strength, and are used in a wide range of industries. Sintering of advanced materials: fundamentals and processes reviews important developments in this technology and its applicationsPart one discusses the fundamentals of sintering with chapters on topics such as the thermodynamics of sintering, kinetics and mechanisms of densification, the kinetics of microstructural change and liquid phase sintering. Part two reviews advanced sintering processes including atmospheric sintering, vacuum sintering, microwave sintering, field/current assisted sintering and photonic sintering. Finally, Part three covers sintering of aluminium, titanium and their alloys, refractory metals, ultrahard materials, thin films, ultrafine and nanosized particles for advanced materials.With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Sintering of advanced materials: fundamentals and processes reviews the latest advances in sintering and is a standard reference for researchers and engineers involved in the processing of ceramics, powder metallurgy, net-shape manufacturing and those using advanced materials in such sectors as electronics, automotive and aerospace engineering. - Explores the thermodynamics of sintering including sinter bonding and densification - Chapters review a variety of sintering methods including atmosphere, vacuum, liquid phase and microwave sintering - Discusses sintering of a variety of materials featuring refractory metals, super hard materials and functionally graded materials

In the past few years there has been rapid growth in the activities involving particulate materials because of recognized advantages in manufacturing. This growth is attributed to several factors; i) an increased concern over energy utilization, ii) a desire to better control microstructure in engineermg materials, iii) the need for 1mproved material economy, iv) societal and economic pressures for higher productivity and quality, v) requirements for unique property combinations for high performance applica tions, and vi) a desire for net shape forming. Accordingly, liquid phase sintering has received increased attention as part of the growth in particulate materials processing. As a consequence, the commercial applications for liquid phase sintering are expanding rapidly. This active and expanding interest is not well served by available texts. For this reason I felt it was appropriate to write this book on liquid phase sintering. The technology of liquid phase sintering IS quite old and has been in use in the ceramics industry for many centuries. However, the general perception among materials and manufacturing engineers is that liquid phase sintering is still a novel technique. I believe the diverse technological appli cations outlined in this book will dispel I such impressions. Liquid phase. sintering has great value in fabricating several unique materials to near net shapes and will continue to expand in applications as the fundamental attrib utes are better appreciated. I am personally involved with several uses for liquid phase sintering.

As sintering applications march toward a $30 billion global business, the models for sintering have progressed, but generally follow behind observation. Documentation of the steps needed to build to a quantitative and predictive theory are often missed. Sintering: From Empirical Observations to Scientific Principles partitions sintering applications and observations to show critical turning points required to establish modern sintering as a predictive science. This book, written by the most cited author in his field, is laced with people, organizations, critical steps, and important formulations in a mixture of history, personalities, and applications. Exploring how insights in seemingly unrelated fields sparked progress, it is also a teaching tool to show where there is success, where there are problems, and how to organize teams to leapfrog to new applications or plateaus of use. Randall German's Sintering: From Empirical Observations to Scientific Principles is a platform for directly addressing the critical control parameters in these new research and development efforts. - Shows how the theories and understanding of sintering were developed and improved over time, and how different products were developed, ultimately leading to important knowledge and lessons for solving real sintering problems - Covers all the necessary infrastructure of sintering theory and practice, such as atomic theory, surface energy, microstructure, and measurement and observation tools - Introduces the history and development of such early sintered products as porcelain, tungsten lamp filaments, bronze bearings, steel automotive components, platinum crucibles and more

The 4th International Symposium on the Science and Technology of Sintering was held on 4-6 November 1987 in Tokyo. Among the many technical sessions was one entitled 'Session for Sintering-Case Study'. Over 200 participants heard these invited talks. Although some papers were over 20 years old, it is necessary to understand the authors' way of thinking. Since the end of the Second World War, many excellent papers related to sintering have appeared in many different academic journals. Some of these papers are still of value, and are still being read by today's students. The questions we have to ask are: Why does the scholar think this way? Why did the scholar perform his experiments? What is the mechanism of sintering? What is the liquid phase of sintering? What is the behavior of sintering additives? What is the history and development of sintering theory? This book includes these sort of historical papers and also new original papers on sintering, all of which are very important to our understanding of the subject. Several papers have been added for this English edition, which is thus more comprehensive than its Japanese counterpart. These papers were spread out in many different sources and the benefits of collecting them together in book form is obvious.