High temperature densification forming of alumina powder - Constitutive model and experiments

Densification and grain growth of alumina powder compacts were investigated under pressureless sintering, sinter forging, and hot pressing. A set of constitutive equations by Kwon et al. was used to predict densification under diffusional creep. A novel grain growth equation is proposed by generalizing the grain growth model of Wilkinson and Caceres to predict grain growth during densification forming process of ceramic powders render general loading states. Material parameters in the constitutive equations were determined from experimental data under pressureless sintering and sinter forging. Theoretical predictions by ruing the constitutive equations for creep densification and grain growth were compared with experimental data of alumina powder compacts.