Electric current assisted sintering of AlN ceramics: thermal conductivity and transparency

Densification, thermal conductivity and transparency of aluminium nitride ceramics densified by electric current assisted sintering are reviewed. Aluminium nitride powders could be densified without any sintering additives by electric current assisted sintering. Sintering additives, Y2O3 or CaF2, and others are effective for densification, increase in thermal conductivity and transparency. As a result of the reaction with the sintering additives and oxide on the surface of the AlN powder, a secondary phase forms between AlN grains, oxygen impurity between aluminium nitride grains decreases and thermal conductivity increases. These mechanisms are effective in the sintering of aluminium nitride ceramics densified by electric current assisted sintering, though sintering time is short, within 5 min. The secondary phase formation does not always give good effect for transparency.