Temperature control during Spark Plasma Sintering and application to up-scaling and complex shaping

The determination and the homogeneity of the sample temperature during consolidation of powders by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) are addressed. Densifications were carried out in three different facilities differing by their constructors and their size. A structural transformation activated in a TiAl alloy was used as a marker of the sample temperature and finite element modeling were performed to evaluate the temperature at each point of the set-up. A good agreement between experimental and simulated data is exhibited. Alloys with identical microstructures were sintered and the homogeneity of the microstructure was better in the largest machines or when the sample was isolated by alumina disks. Large specimens with a diameter of 100 mm and a height of 60 mm were sintered, with the aim to achieve full densification and good microstructural control. On the basis of this temperature mastering, samples With complex shape were successfully densified. SEM post mortem observations confirmed the absence of porosities, and the expected microstructure as predicted by FEM calculations. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.