Formidable increase in the superplasticity of ceramics in the presence of an electric field

The ductility of silicon nitride-based ceramics is dramatically enhanced in the presence of a pulsed electric field/current that induces movement of the charged species present in the grain boundary glassy/liquid phase, and thereby promotes grain sliding along the grain boundaries. The Figure shows an alpha-sialon component before (right) and after (left) deformation.