THE EFFECT OF AN ELECTRIC-FIELD ON SELF-SUSTAINING COMBUSTION SYNTHESIS .1. MODELING STUDIES

An analysis of the effect of an electric field on self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) reactions is presented. Using the synthesis of SiC as a model, the analysis showed that the imposition of a field results in a highly localized distribution of the current density. It was shown that the current is primarily restricted to the region just ahead of the combustion zone. Thus, in addition to the chemical heat release, this zone also includes heat release from an electric source, a value equivalent to sigma E(2) where sigma is the conductivity and E is the field. From the dependence of the degree of conversion to the product on the applied voltage, it is shown that the velocity of the combustion wave is linearly proportional to the field.