Temperature evolution during field activated sintering

Experiments and finite element simulations have been conducted to characterize the temperature distribution in the specimen/die/punch setup and its evolution during field activated sintering. Significant temperature gradients were found in specimen in both radial and axial directions. The punches experience the highest temperatures, while the minimum is on the outer die surface, which is where the temperature is monitored for control purposes. The temperature difference between the specimen and die surface increases with temperature. In order to know the true specimen temperature, a calibration-based correction with respect to the typically used surface temperature is necessary. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.