Laser Densification of Extruded Dental Porcelain Bodies in Multi-Material Laser Densification (MMLD) Process

In this study commercial dental porcelain powder was deposited via slurry extrusion and laser densified to fabricate dental restorations in a Multi-Material Laser Densification (MMLD) process. The processing conditions for laser densification of single lines and closed rings were investigated in order to avoid warping and cracking. Multi-layer rings were also investigated to study the dependence of bonding between layers on the laser densification conditions. The laser densified rings showed no warping, and good bonding between layers could be achieved when the laser densification condition was selected properly. The mechanism to achieve porcelain rings without warping and cracking is discussed. The understanding developed will pave the way for fabricating a physical dental restoration unit.Mechanical Engineerin

Densification and polymorphic transition of multiphase Y2O3 nanoparticles during spark plasma sintering

Multiphase (MP) monoclinic and cubic Y2O3 nanoparticles, 40 nm in diameter, were densified by spark plasma sintering for 5–15 min and100 MPa at 1000 °C, 1100 °C, and 1500 °C. Densification started with pressure increase at room temperature. Densification stagnated during heating compared to the high shrinkage rate in cubic single-phase reference nanopowder. The limited densification of the MP nanopowder originated from the vermicular structure (skeleton) formed during the heating. Interface controlled monoclinic to cubic polymorphic transformation above 980 °C led to the formation of large spherical cubic grains within the vermicular matrix. This resulted in the loss of the nanocrystalline character and low final density

Densification and preservation of ceramic nanocrystalline character by spark plasma sintering

Spark plasma sintering is a hot pressing technique where rapid heating by dc electric pulses is used simultaneously with applied pressure. Thus, spark plasma sintering is highly suitable for rapid densification of ceramic nanoparticles and preservation of the final nanostructure. A considerable portion of the shrinkage during densification of the green compact of nanoparticles in the first and intermediate stages of sintering occurs during heating by particle rearrangement by sliding and rotation. Further densification to the final stage of sintering takes place by either plastic yield or diffusional processes. Full densification in the final stage of sintering is associated with diffusional processes only. Nanoparticle sliding and rotation during heating may also lead to grain coalescence, with much faster kinetics than normal grain growth at higher temperatures. Based on existing models for particle rearrangement and sliding, the contributions of these processes in conjunction with nanoparticle properties and process parameters were highlighted

Spark plasma sintering of alumina: Study of parameters, formal sintering analysis and hypotheses on the mechanism(s) involved in densification and grain growth

The spark plasma sintering (SPS) of an undoped commercial α-Al2O3 powder (0.14 μm) was investigated. The SPS parameters such as the dwell temperature, applied external pressure, temperature of pressure application, dwell time and pulse pattern were varied. A sintering path (relative density vs. grain size) showing two regimes has been brought to the fore: densification without grain growth occurring at the lower temperatures and grain growth without much further densification taking place at the higher temperatures, with a threshold between 1100 and 1200 °C. In addition, a formal sintering analysis was performed in order to identify the mechanism(s) involved in densification and grain growth

Optically transparent ceramics by spark plasma sintering of oxide nanoparticles

Optical transparency in polycrystalline ceramic oxides can be achieved if the material is fully densified. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) of oxide nanoparticles leads to immediate densification with final-stage sintering. Further densification by annihilation of the isolated pores is associated with diffusional processes, regardless of the densification mechanism during the intermediate stage. Densification equations in conjunction with the concept of grain boundary free volume were used to derive the pore size–grain size–temperature map for designing the nanopowder and SPS process parameters to obtain transparent oxides