Fast low-temperature consolidation of bulk nanometric ceramic materials

Dense zirconia and ceria ceramics with grain sizes approaching 10 nm have been obtained using a high-pressure modification of the field activated sintering (spark plasma sintering). Pressures up to 1 GPa and sintering times of 5 min have been used. The densification has been performed at temperatures as low as 930 degrees C for fully-stabilized zirconia, 815 degrees C for samaria-doped ceria, and 675 degrees C for pure ceria. Relative densities greater than 98% were achieved for all materials. The method overcomes the deleterious effect of powder agglomeration, producing fine grain size for these ceramics in bulk form. (c) 2005 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.