Electric field effects during spark plasma sintering of ceramic nanoparticles

The effects of the applied electric field during the spark plasma sintering of ceramic nanoparticles were examined at various stages of the process. It was assumed that local intensification of the electric field arises due to the nanoscale structural features. Enhanced surface conductivity is expected in the nanoparticles during the heating, which otherwise are electrically non-conducting as a bulk. Percolation of the electric current at “optimal” electrical conductivity is obtained by fractal dimension. The defective nanoparticle surfaces experience charging–discharge cycles which lead to local breakdown and to plasma formation due to the ionized surface molecules. High local temperatures which evolved in a nonlinear fashion at the particle surfaces lead to enhanced sintering and densification kinetics, consistent with the flash sintering phenomenon. The contribution of the pondermotive force to the enhancement of the diffusion kinetics is discussed. Temperature windows for enhanced densification kinetics via plastic deformation or plasma-assisted processes are estimated for MgO, Al2O3, and YAG.